Food: Spring is an ideal time for asparagus lovers

Spring is considered a time of rebirth and new beginnings.

Gardeners plant their seeds when the formerly frozen ground warms and grows softer. Rain brings new life into grasses, leading seeds to bud and bloom.

The sweet green temptation of salad greens in the garden, the aromatic smell of basil and the tender crunch of steamed asparagus come together to awake our senses from their winter hibernation diet of heavy comfort food-focused meals.

I can’t think of a better way to welcome the season than by celebrating with a dish designed to highlight some of spring’s more popular delights.

I love fresh asparagus. I love that its arrival is a seasonal event and that die-hard asparagus eaters wait for it with great anticipation.

This is the time of year I like to take advantage of the abundance of asparagus by incorporating it into several dishes.

My advice when preparing adamantly is this: Don’t overcook it. Please. To make sure the asparagus you serve is firm, lively and as green as spring, remove the spears from the heat source a little sooner than you think you should. The retained heat will continue to cook them, so you should calculate the cooking time allowing for that.