Are you making the most of the incredibly short asparagus season? Blink and you miss it…

May and early June see the brief few weeks when we can get hold of locally-grown asparagus (I’m talking UK and Europe here - apologies to the rest of the global community!).

Asparagus is a short-lived treat!

The rest of the year now sees air freighted asparagus available from Peru and beyond, but you can’t beat the taste and freshness of locally grown, freshly-picked stems.

At this time of year, it’s so abundant that it’s cheaper, fresher and tastier than at any other time of year. Like so many veggies, it starts to deteriorate and dry out soon after picking, so fresh is definitely best.

Asparagus is an expensive vegetable because its season is so short and growing it takes quite an effort. For a start, it takes three years or more after planting, before you get a half-decent crop. Then add in the fact it has to be harvested by hand with a special knife and the our preference for tender young stems, rather than larger, woodier asparagus, and it’s easy to see why it sells for a premium.

I was in my local supermarket at the weekend (I know, burn me at the stake, and all that!) and above a tray of pretty fresh, locally-sourced asparagus were neat little packs of “fine asparagus tips” from - wait for it - Thailand. Complete with a “by air” sticker. Why oh why oh why? It’s the height of the UK asparagus season and I find it hard to believe we still need to import it.

But putting my soap box aside, I love asparagus. Whether it’s the flavoursome green stems we’re so familiar with in the UK or the delicate white stems you see in continental Europe, it’s s six week treat.

And I was wondering, what’s your favourite way of enjoying asparagus?

Mine? Sheer indulgence: with a home-made Hollandaise sauce. The whole thing takes 5 minutes and it’s simply the most incredible way of eating asparagus. Probably just as well it only has a short season!

So what do you do with yours?

Clare