How can I tell if a stem in my soup is asparagus or broccoli without tasting it?

[FuSoYa]

is broccolinni like broccoli rabe?

I do like broccoli rabe, but do either of the two break in a stringy manner the way I was told asparagus does?

 

[xfer]

broccoli rabe (rapini) does have a pretty stringy stem. i would go to the preppy for confirmation, though. but one of the best parts of rapini are the spinachy leaves, so i don't think they would've cut them off to put the stem in your soup.

 

[VangelicSurgeon]

hmmmmm. maybe? it's like if you combined the best parts of asparagus and broccoli into one vegetable. is that broccoli rabe? I need a visual aid I think.

AHA!

"Adventurous cooks from coast to coast have been delighted to find an elegant, dark green vegetable showing up sporadically in markets under the highbrow name "asparation," or more descriptively, "broccolini."

Two California growers produce the vegetable, a surprisingly tender and sweet cross between broccoli and Chinese kale. It is completely edible, from slim stems to broccoli-like head of flowering buds, and makes an attractive presentation on a diner's plate. "

so it's probably not that. no bumps.

 

[Stultus]

I keep on opening this thread expecting articulate discussion of stem-cell research.
Alas, one has to adapt.

 

[KobayashiMaru]

What, no broccoflower?