ASPERGRASS SEASON

better known as asparagus to most people, but in kiddie lingo i can confirm that it is actually called aspergrass. other common vocabulary i used when i was a wee child includes spasghetti (spaghetti) and liebelly (library). i am sure most people have their own personal set of kiddie vocabulary. anyways, last monday we went to the town of pereta in tuscany; the area of maremma to be exact. and it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. those soft rolling hills south of siena are my favorite in all of tuscany. we went to celebrate the birthday of a good friend of mine. her father is an amazing cook therefore an excellent food supply was not lacking. a friend of the family brought a supply of fresh asparagus as a present. they had been picked that morning and came from a farm that uses 37 degree celcius thermal water to water the luscious green stems! i have had asparagus sauteed, bolied, steamed and baked, but this was the first time i ate them grilled. there is something about the grilling on an open fire that makes them taste even better than usual. they are crisp and smokey on the outside and burst with their natural flavor when bitten into. we devoured them grilled to perfection and dipped in a dressing of oil, lemon and salt.