Today I want to take you on journey to where we can visit a King face to face. We will travel back in time to the year 26 BC and to the edge of the Tiber River In Rome.

The Roman empire had many emperiors but only one King and he ruled it's domain throughout the entire Roman Empire. Along the edges of the Tiber, we will find Roman chariots lined up by the decree of the Emperior Augustus to carry this King. They are poised and ready to go on a most intriguing race against time. These are not just any charrots; they are the absolute fastest with the strongest horses and the best drivers.

It is spring, blossums are everywhere and we are waiting for tiny sparrow grass shoots to pop up on the banks. These tiny shoots can grow up to ten inches in one day under the right circumstances. We will gather these shoots, fill the chariots completely full, and hitch a ride that will take us miles away to the edges of the snowline in the Italian Alps. Deeply in the snow we will bury the King and then journey back to Rome and wait.

In the fall we will return to dig up the King that we treasure so much so that he may attend the the Feast of Epicurus. This King is the King of all vegetables, King Sparrow Grass or as we know him today King Asparagus.

In Rome, asparagus was so sought after that they assembled asparagus fleets, whose occupation was to search the entire empire for the best asparagus spears and bring them back to Rome.

The Romans were the first to cultivate Asparagus and in the oldest known cookbook known to man Asparagus recipes are part of that cook book. A recipe survives from ancient Rome for a platter of small songbirds in asparagus sauce, with quails' eggs, carefully arranged to impress their dinner guests.

The Emperor Caesar Augustus described 'haste' to his underlings as being 'quicker than you can cook asparagus.' The Greeks used wild asparagus as a medicine and food. King Louis the XIV of France had gardeners grow asparagus in greenhouses so he could enjoy asparagus year round.

If you think that green asparagus was as good as it gets, try white asparagus. White asparagus tends to be milder and tenderer, with a slight nutty flavor, when compared to its green counterpart. The white appearance of the spear is due to the fact that it is not grown in sunlight. The spears are generally covered with a black plastic drum, black plastic or simply soil.

To be even more exotic, try purple asparagus. Varieties such as 'Purple Passion' and 'Viola' are purple on the outside while retaining their green interior.

The first vegetable to pop out of the ground in the spring, asparagus will grow as much as 10 inches in a day under the right conditions.

Asparagus was originally a medicinal plant. It was thought to be the answer for many ailments, including toothaches, bee stings, edema and heart trouble. It was believe that it was an excellent laxative and diuretic, and could even be taken as a sedative.

Asparagus is one of the more nutritionally valuable vegetables. It is the best vegetable provider of folic acid. Folic acid is necessary for blood cell formation and growth, as well as liver disease prevention. Folic acid is also important for pregnant women as it aids in the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in the developing fetus. Asparagus is also very low in calories; each stalk contains fewer than 4. Asparagus is a great source of potassium and fiber. Finally, the plant is a source of rutin, a compound that strengthens the walls of capillaries. Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food and is a good source of vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin. Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.

So this spring put on the toga, hop on your favorite chariot, and come over to pick up your supply of sparrow grass the very first frozen food. If you want to be an aristocrat, it is only a spear away. Enjoy, and by the way away asparagus is one of few foods which is considered acceptable and polite to eat with your hands in front of company even if you are wearing a toga.