There are three main kinds of asparagus, we have green asparagus, the one most of us are familiar with, purple asparagus, the typical variety found in countries like France, and white asparagus, mostly found in Spain, with an almost pre-historic look and a very different texture to the other two.

Since the type most of us buy and eat is the green variety, let's focus on that one for now.

How to pick asparagus

• Choose stalks that have ends that haven't dried out too much.
• The tips should be firm and its little glorious bumps shouldn't look like they've opened up, they should be tight and sit firmly together against the stalk.
• The darker the green, in my opinion, the less bitter and more delicious, avoid stalks that have turned slightly yellow.
• Fresh asparagus should snap when you bend them instead of doing yoga-like movements, but never try to snap an asparagus spear at the store, it's deeply disrespectful to that perfect bouquet and the next buyer if you don't take it with you!
• The spring is their season, so take advantage of it, they will be at their most delicious, and least expensive.
• Although very thick spears are now available (think Flinstones's size), they tend to be mealy and have an off-putting taste, don't but the Hulk of asparagus spears, settle for normal pinkie or index finger-sized spears, because there's nothing wrong with average!

How to store asparagus in the fridge

When I say bouquet of asparagus I totally mean it. Treat your asparagus like you would a flower. The very best way to store asparagus in the fridge is by placing them in a mason jar with a little bit of water, just like you would do for some pretty tulips, and place the mason jar in the fridge. 

If space doesn't allow, I get it, I have that problem, try to use them within the next day or two of buying them so that the stalks don't dry out too much. A hydrated stalk is a yummy stalk.

How to prep asparagus

• The tough bottom ends, usually white or slightly yellow should be cut off. Some people hold the spear in both hands and snap off the end, and the snap is supposed to happen right below the end of the tender part of the spear, leaving you with 100% asparagus goodness, but I happen to disagree. Asparagus saver that I am, I think you can actually lose quite a bit of the stalk this way, so just cut the spears with a sharp knife, at the point where you see the stalk is beginning to change color or is a bit harder to the touch, usually about an inch.
• If you have the time, and only if you have the time, it's sometimes appropriate to peel each stalk. Here's my slightly unusual opinion on this: you only have to do it for very thick spears (more than 1/2 an inch in diameter is what some cooks like to use as a rule of thumb). Unless your spears are very thick, which might result in older and tougher exteriors, there's no need to peel asparagus unless you prefer the texture this way.
• Although in some applications like quiches, frittatas and risottos you'll need to cut the spears into pieces, when you want to celebrate this vegetable, you should serve it whole, long and pristine just like it popped its little head out of the ground. 
  
  

Favorite ways of preparing them

Here my mother, grandmother and I would definitely have a disagreement. My grandmother was convinced that the only proper way to eat asparagus was steamed in a steamer basket and then served with salt and lemon, my mother would cook the entire bunch, tied with a string, standing up like a perfect bouquet over simmering water, which I must admit was beautiful to see! She would then serve it with a creamy dill sauce or vinaigrette. All of these ways are delicious, but in my opinion, among the hundreds of ways to serve asparagus, nothing beats grilled asparagus that are then topped with coarse sea salt, and with a generous pour of a lemony hollandaise sauce on top (if you're a member of our online vegan cooking school you have a recipe for vegan hollandaise sauce in your dips and sauces section!).

Here's a little quick glance list with some favorite ways to prepare them: 

• Grandma Clara's method: steamed in a steamer basket and served with salt and lemon wedges. (A little disclaimer, grandma Clara knew a lot about good food but she never cooked!).
• Mom's method: Simmered as a whole bunch tied with string standing up on the pot and then served with a lemon dill sauce or your favorite vinaigrette.
• Kim's favorite method: Rubbed with a bit of high heat oil, salt and pepper, and grilled on the barbecue until tender but still crisp, and with coarse sea salt and hollandaise sauce on top.
• Cooked with any method you love and served with eggless aioli or mayonnaise.
• Roasted with garlic and cherry tomatoes in the oven, with olive oil and thyme or rosemary.
• Steamed, chilled and then tossed with your favorite dressing and served as a cold salad.
• Cut and used in making asparagus risotto, added to egg free omelettes, or as part of a frittata (like the one we teach you how to make in our free breakfast and brunch course!)
• Roasted and topped with our oil free spinach and basil pesto.
• Sautéed with olive oil and pine nuts in a pan, then topped with ground almonds and a bit of lemon zest and black pepper.
• Grilled and topped with romesco sauce.
• Sautéed in a pan with olive oil and garlic, and then broiled under the broiler with some vegan cheese and freshly ground pepper until bubbly.
• Served on top of vegan paella as is tradition in many parts of Spain.
• Cooked in whatever way you love and added to salads.
• Wrapped in puff pastry, baked and served with a lemony sauce for dipping
• Cut and tossed with fussilli or bowtie pasta, with olive oil, garlic, almond parm and some chili flakes.
• The sky is the limit!