[beppe]

I know of three kinds. The green, the white and the small stringy ones (cheeper but useful).

The green and the white I cook them preliminarily in the same way. After delicately cleaning the foot (with a skinner knife), keeping them as long as practical, I steam them. I like them almost raw, that is, still crunchy.

Green Asparagus alla Parmigiana. Melt as much sweet butter as you like (don't burn it: it has to remain clear). Grate as much Parmesan as you want (no substitute allowed here). Arrange the asparagus on individual dishes, like a fan, with the points together. Sprinkle a couple of T spoons of cheese on the points and douse with hot melted butter. Hand eating. Carry the point to the mouth holding a piece of bread under it. The flavors have to be pure, they blend heavenly. We drink a light red, freshish. Saint Nicolas de Bourgeuil, Barbera, Cabernet Franc.

Variant a la Bismark. Slide on top a fried egg or two. Butter can be noisette. Cheese can be anything you like as most of the poetry of the previous recipe is now undetectable. Excellent food though, if you get sudden visitors. Same wines.

White Asparagus alla Veneta. Chop some hard eggs. Arrange the asparagus like above. Each takes some egg, blends it with some olive oil and a pinch of salt. With the fork gently crashes the tip of one asparagus and put some egg over it. Eat it and it goes on till the end of time ... on the tune of at the end of the rainbow .... It's a very good way of eating asparagus. I prefer the green ones. Not far from where I live there is a place that is famous for its whites and some times I buy them. An elegant trick: Don't put salt in the spread but add few grains of salt de Guerande directly on the mouthful.

Risotto agli asparagi. (Fake but nobody will notice unless a pro). Cook the asparagus until tender. Let them rest and then chop them in two inches pieces, discarding the fibrous parts. In the mean time boil in abundant water the rice. It has to be sticky. I use Carnaroli that cooks in 15' and stays firm. Drain most of it. Put back in the pot. Add butter or oil or whatever you like. Add a huge amount of your preferred grated cheese. Stir vigorously, add asparagus, stir again but kindly. Serve, sprinkle on top your preferred grated cheese. Some time I use pre-grated Gruyère. A tasty white.