Asparagus is not yet in season here in upstate NY, but we’ve been eating it recently despite this small fact because I think I’ve been brainwashed into doing so.

The stores always seem to jump the gun with the holiday decorations and seasonal merchandise – shelves currently loaded with pastel candy and green beaded necklaces well in advance of any bunnies needing supplies to make up baskets or a dude named Patrick getting ready to chase some snakes out of Ireland.  It’s no wonder I’ve had a hankering for spring produce!  I blame consumerism.

Why don’t stores decorate the produce aisles with the coming attractions weeks before their arrival too?  Maybe some giant pea pods hanging from the ceiling, wearing bunny ears or holding bouquets of spring flowers.  Streamers made from arugula, chard and beet greens?  Signs declaring “Asparagus is coming!  ASPARAGUS IS COMING!”  I can’t believe I’m giving these ideas out for free.

Well, whatever.  It’s their creative loss.  Better to keep the impending local deliveries of cheap asparagus on the DL from those not in the know anyway.  More for me.

Asparagus hangs out in my fridge in a jar half full of water until it’s chow time. I stole this idea from Wegmans – except there, asparagus lolls about in troughs of water instead of its own, private wading pool.

This keeps the tips looking soft and luscious, instead of dried out and flaky.  I’m suddenly reminded ’tis the season for hand lotion too.

To find the perfect length for trimming the asparagus, lightly pinch the middle and end of the stalk between each pointer finger and thumb and gently bend:

until it snaps.

Yes, one stalk at a time.  If you find this boring or tedious, just return to your meditative vegetable prep.  It’s going to be alright.

From private pool to personal sauna, an easy and simple way to cook asparagus is to steam it.

Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in a large pot, drop in a steamer basket followed by your perfectly trimmed asparagus.  Cover and steam for maybe 5 – 8 minutes, or until you reach your desired level of mushiness.

Now what do to with these leftover guys?

Compost, juicer, or maybe some garland for your entry way?  You decide.

On this day I chopped up my steamed asparagus and loaded on a quarter of diced avocado (nature’s butter!) and a little salt, to be served with a bowl of leftover Spicy Red Lentil Chili, topped with another quarter of avocado and a sprinkling of pepper jack cheese.

A simple dish, but one still totally worth celebrating.