There's an asian bean that puts asparagus to shame, known variously as sator, petai, ..., but universally called "stinky beans":

http://www.asiafood.org/glossary_1.c...tno=1&endno=25

Some fiery dishes based on these beans are wonderful, I'd love to see them in first. Then the garlic smell from the galley would mask any of our other concerns.

While we're at it, let's not forget the best line in Ally McBeal, in the notorious unisex bathroom, where her colleagues claimed they knew she was there while they talked about her.

"What was it, my asparagus diet?"

For all I know, this gets translated to petai for the Indonesian market.

Southeast asians love their strong vegetables. The Thai word for shower head is that of a vegetable that is astonishingly similar in appearance. My cooking teacher was pointing this vegetable out to us at an open market on my Thai trip, and as we left the market women were clacking, "Those poor Americans! They've only seen showers, they've never seen the original!"