The asparagus season starts at the end of April and lasts through June. This is when asparagus should be eaten and appreciated, for when the season ends it should not be bought until the following year.
Asparagus is best eaten soon after picking as it quickly loses its sweetness. When buying asparagus look for firm, bright green spears, with tightly closed heads. Don’t buy spears that look dry, wrinkled or yellow.
White asparagus is grown in the northern regions of Italy, in Friuli and the Veneto where it is paired with risotto. The spears are banked up with soil as they grow to deprive them of light. They are much more delicate in flavour than green asparagus, which grows in the sun. As the season progresses, the spears get larger. When they are thin – known as sprue - we like to roast or grill them, delicious with anchovies.
The larger spears must be peeled. Use a potato peeler, and work from the bottom of the tip to the cut end.