SETTLE residents have shown they are not afraid of trying something new in the culinary world, even when it's allegedly the world's most expensive vegetable.

Hop shoots, a delicacy which is sometimes called hop "asparagus", arrived exclusively into Booths' stores last Friday and had sold out over the weekend.

The shoots have been grown for the supermarket in a secret location in Kent when they are hand-picked at first light to capture the flavour at its optimum.

The shoots are then chilled and raced up to Booths for distribution into 16 of its stores.

Their presence caused quite a stir among Booths' customers who snapped them up almost as soon as they arrived in the chiller cabinets.

Local celebrity chef Susan Brookes, who has bagged a supply of her own to try, said the speed in which they had been sold, prior to any publicity, showed that local people were willing to try something new.

"I think it's marvellous that they are prepared to give something different a try," she told the Herald.

Mrs Brookes said she hadn't cooked the vegetable before either, but thought they would be particularly good in a stir fry and may also try it in dishes in place of spinach.

The hop shoot is tender and delicate with a short season until the end of May.

It is usually eaten in a similar way to traditional asparagus - quickly steamed or boiled and served with butter or lemon juice - although there are a number of more exotic recipes for the vegetable.

In fact, the hop first attracted attention not as an ingredient in beer as it is more usually known, but as a medicinal herb in early Egypt. It was later used in Europe to treat liver disease and digestive complaints.

They were widely eaten in this country in Mediaeval times, but only recently have they been rediscovered as a rare and expensive delicacy in Germany and America, and featured in a television programme earlier this year featuring chef Rick Stein.

Booths' fruit and vegetable buyer Chris Treble explained: "We have worked closely with our supplier Norman Collett, who have been fantastic - clearing hop beds, getting extra staff in to pick the shoots, taste testing and developing packaging and recipes.

"The hop industry in this country is in a bit of a decline at the moment, so we hope that in developing a new market for the early shoots, it could help with a revival.

"Our customers always like to try new products - especially if they're fresh and British."

Hop shoots in Booths are priced at £2.99 for 100g - the equivalent of £15 per 1lb. In contrast carrots cost a mere 22p per 1lb