i didn't even know this was done

I've never seen peeled asparagus, much less made it. And I grew up on an asparagus patch!

I don't because you only need to peel old stringy asparagus, and all the times I've made the mistake of getting old asparagus I've found that the strings tend to go all the way through. Now I'm really lucky because I live a 30 minute drive away from an asparagus farm, during season you can pick it up picked that very day! You can really tell the difference, often I buy enough for two days worth - on the second day its still great but its noticeablely less tender and takes longer to cook. Still fresher than the stuff from the store though!

I've only done this once, and thought that the taste of the resulting naked asparagus was not worth the time.

I didn't answer the survey, since there was no option of "only for white asparagus."

This is one of those tips that was shared without the WHY having been shared and so it seems to have caused confusion forever (love Jacques Pepin for instructing on both HOW and WHY). Early in the season or young asparagus doesn't need peeling but if you're using later season asparagus you'll often need to peel them to remove the harder outer layer (and those peelings make a fine soup, if it's pureed, thanks Jacques!).

I peel white asparagus, always, as that's the way it's done in Germany. You can even buy special equipment for peeling asparagus here!

I had no idea people peeled asparagus! I understand doing it at restaurants or for dinner parties to make cutting and chewing it less awkward, but it's way more work than necessary, in my opinion. (Of course, now I'm tempted to try it.)

I'm with the others, I've never heard of this technique and feel like it wouldn't be worth the extra effort. Is it for presentation? Or for a different flavor?

I didn't know people did this!

If the asparagus is thicker, I will peel the bottom few inches and cut off the end. If it's thinner asparagus, I usually just clip off the end.

I think the confusion has to do with the variety of asparagus. I've only rarely seen the *huge* German spargel (?) here in the US. When I lived in Germany, I cooked fresh white ones I got at the farmer's market the way I cook US asparagus: I snapped off the ends and steamed them. Whoa! Strings galore. I learned to peel them after that.

The bigger, late season asparagus seem fine once snapped at the right spot. However, I keep the leftover ends, and I peel those--otherwise they are leafy and too hard to chew. I save the ends after I peel them and I just keep them on hand in the freezer until I have enough for a small pot of pureed asparagus soup. YUM! Other than that, I'd never peel. I like the texture contrast between the outer layer and the tender innards.

I always peel asparagus - except for the tiny ones which I hardly ever buy. It changes the whole experience for me - the stems are then wonderful and succulent. I like the peeled stems better than the tops of the spears. Did I learn this when I lived in Switzerland (the French speaking part)? Probably. I use one of my cache of wonderful Swiss vegetable peelers [http://www.zena-swiss.com/en/products/rex] for this.

I only buy asparagus when it comes to the local market - it's so amazing you can eat it raw. I'm guessing if it needs to be peeled it was shipped from somewhere far away. Asparagus season is like christmas in my house, I would never think to buy it out of the local season let alone peel it.

I only peel the bottom half of the thicker ones. Otherwise, not necessary

Never. It gets rid of some of the vegetable's fiber and nutrients.

peel.. asparagus....?
Really? who does this?

I don't always COOK it, much less peel it...