Now, get your nose close. But seriously, be careful. Bad asparagus has a specific aroma that is like the fart of a very old swamp dragon.
Fresh asparagus smells like grass and earth—maybe a little like a damp forest floor. Bad asparagus smells sour, putrid, or like sulfur mixed with regret. If your nose hairs curl back into your skull, toss it.
Asparagus (Green) | Postharvest Research and Extension Center
Don’t be brave. I once sniffed a suspicious spear out of curiosity and my eyes watered for ten minutes. That’s not "character"—that’s chemical warfare. Trust the sniff.
