Spears of Destiny

May 6 2009 By Huddersfield Examiner

The green shoots of economic recovery might be rather far away, but the British asparagus season is in full swing.

Asparagus is proof that eating seasonally is best. The wait for those fat green spears to arrive in shops in mid-spring makes it seem incredibly luxurious - but it’s actually a very affordable treat.

You can serve it with salmon or a dollop of rich Hollandaise sauce, but all you really need for culinary heaven is a handful of spears, a pat of butter and some salt and pepper.

Introduce a glass of wine however, and things really get going.

Asparagus has a reputation for being a difficult partner for wine, largely because its intense flavours can make wine taste weirdly metallic - or too green.

Adam Lechmere, editor of Decanter.com, says grilling the asparagus removes this "greenness", which is good advice if you’re nervous about finding the perfect match. It’s also very difficult to overcook asparagus under the grill - good news for novice cooks who have accidentally boiled their precious spears to death.

Either way, asparagus eaters should avoid big oaky chardonnays and head for softer Old-World style sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc or pinot grigio.