Asparagus shoots are the perfect spring vegetable before they flower in the summer and become too woody to eat. The size of the asparagus really doesn’t matter or indicate flavor--smaller, thinner asparagus were simply plucked sooner than thicker asparagus.

To prepare, a neat trick is to snap off the end of one asparagus (perhaps the largest, woodiest one) as they naturally break right at the border between the tender, edible part, and the woody stem. Then, use that asparagus as a guide for trimming the rest.

Asparagus has so much natural texture and flavor as is that simple preparations like steamed or roasted with just salt, or jazzed up with a little lemon and parmesan are best. They also pair well with fatty foods, like wrapped in bacon or served with hollandaise sauce. We prefer them to only be cooked for 5-10 minutes (with the florets being cooked for the shortest amount of time possible) for perfect al dente spears or roast for longer to have crispy french fry style spears.