In praise of spring aparagus

Sylvia Fountaine celebrates asparagus in next week’s Spokesman-Review Food section.

Here’s a sneak peek:

Our mild winter and unusually warm spring brought purple-tipped, tight-budded spears of spring asparagus a little early this year, an unexpected but welcomed surprise.

These days, asparagus can be purchased year round at most grocery stores, traveling here from Mexico, California, Chile and Peru. But there is something truly special about our own Washington-grown asparagus that makes their highly anticipated arrival all the sweeter.

Fresh, snappy and beautifully hued, they taste and smell like real grassy, green, herbaceous asparagus, not some watered-down lackluster imposter. Taste the difference for yourself, if you’re skeptical.