If there is one universally loved vegetable it seems to be asparagus. Even the fussy eaters in my life, or the “no vegetables for me please” freaks, will eat asparagus. I know people who eat it several times a week. Even when it’s off season, expensive and not that great.

So now that the fat young spears are in season here in California, cheap, and really great I thought the time was right to honor it with this weeks Market Matters post from the Hollywood Farmers Market.

I love asparagus. But not all asparagus is the same. There are the very thin types. Often called baby asparagus. Which is mostly a misnomer because the thin spears are usually from older plants and are produced further out from the center of the plant.

Thin asparagus is usually a bit stringier.  It has an earthier, more pronounced asparagus flavor in my opinion too. This does not mean it is not as good as fat asparagus. In fact many people prefer this type. I would say fat or thin are pretty much equally good. If handled properly.  Fat spears almost always need to be peeled. Thick asparagus seems to concentrate its fibers in the skin. Peeling may be necessary because in some methods of cooking they can become a mushy mess by the time they have cooked enough to get the skin tender.

Happy Halloween! In keeping with the season I have a tricky treat for you. This treat is in the form of a mini-horror film I call Brussels Sprouts: The Revenge Of Farmer John! Click here or on screen grab below to watch film.

You might call it Brussels Sprouts: All Smelly and Green. Because be they supernatural or merely tricky to cook. I say they are indeed a treat most any time of the year.

But it’s true many people are afraid of Brussels sprouts– even horrified because they are often prepared in a horrifying manner…boiled.

Boiling really does not suit Brussels sprouts. That is because they are technically a cruciferous vegetable. Which is a fancy way of saying cabbage. As we all know, boiled cabbage can be stinky and mushy. So too, Brussels sprouts. In fact, in French they are called les choux de Bruxelles, which means cabbages of Brussels. So all the mistakes people make cooking cabbage can be amplified in these “little cabbages”!

We are leaving tomorrow (well by the time you read this it will be today...) for 4 days in Sonoma in an R.V.  You read that right…Recreational Vehicle. It’s a first for Sup!

This is my last chance to make a nice meal at home for a few days. So I want to make something kind of special.

Now, special need not mean fancy. In fact special can be downright rustic. And I think rustic is a great way to describe this pork dish.

It’s a Pancetta-Wrapped Roast Pork Loin Chop. I am going to roast it with some whole cipollini onions.

Now pork is quite easily my favorite meat. It’s lean and flavorful. And if you resist the urge to overcook it is juicy and succulent too.

But in fact because pork is so lean, it's easy to overcook. Besides, somewhere in America’s cultural background Americans were led to believe that pork must be cooked through. Hogwash. Pork should be served pink.

Which is what makes this method such a great way to cook pork. Brining the chop and wrapping it in pancetta not only adds additional spice and sweet porky flavor, but it also helps you keep from overcooking the meat.

Especially if you use an instant read thermometer and take the meat out of the oven, just shy of 140 degrees F... Oh and let it rest. It’s important.

If there is one universally loved vegetable it seems to be asparagus. Even the fussy eaters in my life, or the “no vegetables for me please” freaks, will eat asparagus. I know people who eat it several times a week. Even when it’s off season, expensive and not that great.

So now that it is in season, cheap, and really great I thought the time was right to honor it with this weeks Market Matters post from the Hollywood Farmers Market.

I love asparagus. But not all asparagus is the same. There are the very thin types. Often called baby asparagus. Which is misnomer because the thin spears are usually from older plants and are produced further out from the center of the plant.

Thin asparagus is usually a bit stringier.  It has an earthier, more pronounced flavor in my opinion too. This does not mean it is not as good as fat asparagus. In fact many people prefer this type. I would say fat or thin are pretty much equally good. If handled properly.

I live in the Hollywood Hills. My street backs up to some L.A. County conservancy property, which bleeds into Lake Hollywood and the land owned by Department of Water and Power, and culminates in 4200 acres of Griffith Park. That is a lot of wild land in the middle of one of the largest cities in the world.

Which means I have eagles, deer, rabbit, hawks, bobcats, coyote and the occasional rumor of mountain lion as neighbors.

It also means easy access to hiking trails and the peace and solitude that comes from being in nature.

But whenever I hike these hills I find I have an annoying little habit. I am constantly scanning the trails for edibles. I have some tried and true areas where I collect citrus, figs, herbs, cactus fruit, blackberries and wild greens. But you never know when that lone indigenous Blue Elderberry tree will reveal it’s hiding place.

These edibles can be easy to find too, if you know what you are looking for.

Okay. This may be a bit daring, but I am going to show my true colors here. A lot of people will take issue with what I am about to say. But if I learned anything from MILK (the major motion picture not the dairy product) it is this: Every person must come out and declare who they really are.

Well I am a finicky bastard who likes things a certain way. I don’t believe in shortcuts, instant mashed potatoes or Segways. I like to take my time when I am cooking. I look for recipes that will challenge me. I enjoy the pre-planning, and the anticipation of my meal. When I read or hear other cooks go on and on about how “easy it is”. I think to myself maybe you just didn't try hard enough.

That (cheekily) said, I also realize that liking something a particular way or always wanting something you truly enjoy is occasionally not feasible. Like Patsy Cline (may have) said, “people in Hell want ice-water…that don’t mean they get it”.

I wish I had hours every day to plan and prepare scrumptious food. It would be nice if I could devote entire afternoons towards hunting down the perfect ingredients. Bought fresh everyday, with a specific purpose in mind. But if that were my reality then Oprah’s ratings would plummet. Dr. Phil would be canceled. Days of Our Lives would cease to exist, and Chris Matthews would miss me (terribly).