I have never really “got” white asparagus. On the continent – particularly in Germany and Holland – they consume mountains of the stuff, celebrating its harvest each May in a frenzy of flaccid spear-guzzling. They say its flavour is more refined. For me, though, white asparagus has always been a pale imitation of the real thing: the slender green stems of early British summer.

It is here only for another month or so. If you haven’t been gorging on the stuff already, start now. Nothing quite compares with the green, green grass of home.

A word on preparing and cooking.

The tenderest stems and young shoots (sprue) need only about an inch trimming from the base. For tougher spears, I use the snap method: break the asparagus in half so it naturally separates at the point where there is a risk of woodiness.

Cooking times vary with size: sprue may need only a minute or two in a steamer or boiling water; the biggest stems might need 6-7 minutes. It is worth adding a spear for testing purposes. You can also grill or roast them (toss with olive oil first) or stir-fry them (give them 3-4 minutes, depending on size).

These days, of course, you can buy asparagus all year round – from Peru and Thailand, among other places – but I always think it tastes tired after its long journey. Home-grown asparagus, on the other hand, is like an edible expression of green.

If you happen to live near an asparagus farm, buy them as fresh from the field as you can. Whisked from plot to pot in a matter of minutes, they’re like mouthfuls of pure chlorophyll. Often, they need nothing more than a puddle of molten butter or a jugful of silken hollandaise.

Butter and eggs are two of their natural companions, and are even better when combined. (I occasionally dip buttered spears into a soft-boiled egg, like a company of green-coated soldiers.) But asparagus partners well with other flavours: fish, poultry, orange and lemon, dried hams, other spring vegetables, milky cheeses and gentle summer herbs.

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