EAT

One of the signs that spring really has arrived is the appearance of mounds of vibrant green spears of asparagus at your local grocers. It has become one of my favorite rituals of the season, heralding a new and bounti­ful year of fresh garden produce, as the heavier winter roots give way to fresh leafy vegetables.

Asparagus is pretty cool stuff, and it has been around for a really long time. The earliest known reference dates back to 3000 BC, where it is depicted on an Egyptian frieze as an offering to the Pharaoh of the day.

The Romans practiced the art of early food storage by freezing it h...