Before I introduced solids to my daughter, plenty of family members and friends made sure to share some horror stories with me about their picky eaters. I soon found out that they were not lying.
Our prepping before dinner time went something like this:
Carrots? Waaaah! Peas?! Waaaaaaaah! Geez, Ana…Mother of … how about Pears?!? Smiles from ear to ear.
I soon learned that she was a fan of fruits, but veggies were going to take a bit of convincing… Or not.
I came home one day with some groceries, and in her usual manner, she began to take everything out of the bags. As she continued, she grabbed some asparagus and without any reservations, she just had a go!
I sat there and stared at her in disbelief. I then quickly took it from her because I had heard that asparagus should not be eaten raw. Even though I didn’t believe it when I heard it, when it comes to munchkin, I believe everything and anything. And I wanted to avoid a choking episode. Besides, have you ever tried raw asparagus? Um… I don’t like it. I love it when it’s cooked, but not raw.
Needless to say, and all parents can relate, I could not get over my excitement with the whole asparagus incident. And because I thought she loved the asparagus, I quickly got my ingredients together and started working on one of my favorite soups: Crème D’asperges.
Guess what? She HATED IT! My husband and I could not get enough of it and there she was making that ewwwww face at us. What the? The answer to that came a couple of months later…
We recently figured out that it wasn’t the vegetables that she didn’t like; she just is not fond of vegetables in a pureed form. She loves veggies so long as they are not mushy.
I wish kids could talk from day one – this guessing game sucks.
Asparagus Soup
(adapted from Epicurious)
You will need:
- 2 pounds green asparagus
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 to 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (I use a cup of 2% milk instead)
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
Directions:
- Cut tips from 12 asparagus
- 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish.
- Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened.
- Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes.
- Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.
- Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl and return to pan.
- Stir in crème fraîche, or a cup of milk, then if needed add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon of butter.
- Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips, or with mint. The cooked asparagus tips went to Ana.
Came out perfect. It may not have even really needed the milk. I added red pepper flakes and a dash of tumeric just for some kick.
Got some left over for lunch today too!! Yum Yum
Hi Dionne!
That is great! I’m so glad you liked it!! It is one of our favorite soups.
I love creamy soups like this! I could probably finish off the whole pot on my own.
But, yes, we all face these food issues with our kids, right? They learn; we learn.
I know I’m a little late, but I wanted to make sure I commented on how DELICIOUS this soup looks!!!
I LOVE asparagus soup. I love asparagus. What am I kidding, I just veggies.
Ha ha cute story about trials and tribulations of children. The soups looks wonerful
This has gotta be one of my favorite soups and it’s so easy to make. Love it.
I love asparagus. Your soup looks so comforting and healthy. I will need to try this soon
Too funny! It looks delicious to me!
lovely soup has been a fav of mine for years now~
Cream of asparagus soup is one of my all time favourite dishes! Yours looks divine, I wish I could have some right now! I hope your daughter will learn to enjoy it too when she gets a little older, in the mean time well done for persuading her to eat the asparagus tips
Looks great Kid! Keep it up!!!
I LOVE asparagus soup! I’ve tried to re-create a version of it I had on a Disney cruise that was the best I’ve ever had. I’m definitely going to try yours. Looks delicious
Growing up I hated asparagus. Then while on a trip to Europe, I had pureed Asparagus Soup. It was love at first site…um, I mean bite. I am excited to enjoy this recipe, I have not had it since that wonderful experience in Wales.
Take care,
Terra
This soup looks lovely, I don’t think I’ve ever had asperagus as a soup. But I’ve just starte dto see them pop up at the market, so this is perfect.
Thanks for sharing the story about your daughter trying the raw asparagus
The soup looks fabulous, love it! Makes me cheerful thinking that the spring season is around the corner!
Cute story. I had a picky eater too. One picky and one who would eat anything. Your soup looks amazing and I love anything asparagus!
Kristi
This is right up my alley! Never had asparagus in a soup! As a soup person, I must try this!
My husband is just like your daughter, he doesn’t like vegetables pureed even in soup. He likes to see them in soup, so I puree half of it for me and leave the rest for him. So you are lucky that your daughter doesn’t hate vegetables at all.
I just adore asparagus soup. Yours sounds delightful!
My sons were not very good veggie eaters. My daughter loved all green food…go figure! She is a little more picky now that she is older, but she still gobbles up most green vegetables.
Wonderful soup Kate! Your daughter is adorable!!!! My daughter still eats just raw carrots and she is 17. Have a great weekend
I was your daughter. Hated them mushy when cooked but could live on salads. I still am not wild about “mushy” vegetables but oh how I love them pureed in soup. This springtime soup welcomes me. And yes, it gets so much easier when they can talk. (And say “no” all the time) At least you know.
I know what you mean about the guessing game. The great news is what you learn with the first one doesn’t help you with the second (or third). They all come here with their own ideas of what they like and don’t like. Good luck.
delicious combination lovely saute
Well at least you know she loves fresh veggies
The soup looks fantastic!
How funy:) I just had Asparagus the other night, and my son tried it for the first time. He loved it! I was so shocked:) Eating the asparagus got me thinking that it had been a long time since I’d had cream of asparagus soup, which I love. Great timing!
I was just posting a cream of sweet corn soup
) I love cream soups and indeed the vegetables are tastier this way 
. Great recipe.
i so enjoy reading these stories about mom and kid and their struggle with food and eating .. wonder if it will sound this much fun when I have one , whenever I have one
I love grilled asparagus .. and this soup looks so tasty .. wonder if my hubby with like it. He is not a soup fan and kind of a kid at times when it comes to food !
Same deal with my baby lady. It turns out, though, that she loves vegetables…as long as they’re mine! If it’s meant for her, forget about it! I love asparagus, so soup will be on the menu to share with the wee one.
I have to admit that I don’t think I have ever had cream of asparagus soup. I don’ t know why not – I like creamed soups and I like asparagus. This might just be the push I need. Thanks.
Must be something soupy in the air. We just had cream of broccoli soup for lunch and were discussing this very thing, cream of asparagus for tomorrow (we’re on kind of a soup kick here lately), and yours looks like just the thing! Thanks!
This is my top favourite veggie! Sadly my husband dislike it to the bones! ;-(
This post is fantastic. First, because I have been so COLD lately that I have been craving soup, but had hit a cooking block because I couldn’t think of the type of soup that I really wanted – you solved this one for me! Second, I love the photographs in this post, and finally, I really love your story. Thanks so much and have a fantastic weekend!
We love asparagus,. but have never made asparagus soup. We still have winter here in Chicago, so we’ll be making this soup soon. Yours looks so good.
Please stop by my blog to pick up the Stylish Blogger Award, which you deserve.
This soup sounds delightful! So glad your little one has found a way to enjoy veggies.
I absolutely love asparagus soup but never made it! Yours looks delicious
.
Oh, shoot! I should have saved all those asparagus ends I broke off before dinner last night! This soup looks fabulous…and I had to laugh at your daughter’s first taste of one of my favorite veggies~
ooooo! I am so making this. I can’t believe I’ve never seen Cream of Asparagus soup before – I swear I don’t live that sheltered a life! But I do love them. This looks great! And I was just like your daughter as a kid – did not like mushy veggies at all!
Oh! I can’t wait until we can get good fresh asparagus! This soup is such a springtime tease! I had to chuckle about your ‘sprouts’ hesitancy to eat puree … probably too much like ‘baby food’! Kids are so finicky about textures and tastes, huh? It could drive ya crazy!
Loved your story! That soup looks and sounds amazing. It is 8pm and I have not yet had dinner and your post is making me drool. Wish I had a bowl right now.
if you find the secret to baby talk from day 2 please let me know. we are right now at finger pointing stage, little better than simply guessing but still a long way before she starts talking.
the soup sounds great. we love asparagus, cooked :d
thanks for sharing, hope you’ll have a wonderful Friday
I love asparagus soup, put in a bit of cream (or milk!) and it’s even better. My husband though has a different opinion, and I’d love to compare his “eeewww” face with hers!!
Hahah love your story! I’ve never tried asparagus raw and am guessing it’s not that good, but your soup def looks so creamy and delicious. Yum!
I love asparagus and I can’t believe I have never had asparagus soup. This looks so good.
I love your vegetable story. I would have never gotten my children to eat green soup when they were young! Great post.
Asparagus is so underrated. Now if I can just get the picky pint sized diva to convert!
Kids will be kids! Personally, I think I would love the asparagus soup!
wow, interesting re: the vegetable in puree form. well, less work for you now, right
all kids are different i suppose. do you think she likes fruits mainly because of the natural sweetness/sugar?
as someone who grew up with a mom who is a great cook (much like yourself) but was a huge softee when it came to accomodating our likes/dislikes, I’ve gotta say, I wish my mom would have put her foot down and made me eat a lot of things I only discovered recently. i’m a bit of a different case because i realized through a love of cooking how great foods are that i never thought i liked. but i have many cousins and friends (cousins mainly, maybe it just runs in the family!) who are really horrible eaters. and i feel BAD for them!!!
cheers.
Great pictures Kate and the story!!!
I do think it is funny how kids’ tasebuds work!! The soup recipe looks fabulous.
I love the story about your daughter. I hope my niece likes bussles sprouts, bok choy, and butternut squash etc. Shes not gonna be like her dad( who is insanely picky but I’ve gotten him to be soooo much better then before) if i have anything to say about it. Shes gonna be the most gourmet baby on the planet. lol My best friend says her son has been spoiled by my cooking of all kinds of vegetables he eats green beans and peas and all kinds of things
Yum i love asparagus so much and its so beautiful and plentiful out here right now. I think my sisters tired of it but i could eat it every day
I’ve never been cooking asparagus soup, but now you are making me really curious
… Your soup looks so delicious, that I feel like I should taste it 
)!!
And by the way, when my son was a baby and has needed to eat only purees – he has preferred just and only vegetables ones
like no other baby in the neighborhood…
Yum yum yum!