Asparagus is best in the early spring. Choose bright green spears with firm stalks; the tips should be tightly closed and have a lavender hue. Slender stalks are more tender. Thick stalks can be halved lengthwise or peeled.

To store asparagus, wrap the stalks in a plastic bag and store in the vegetable crisper; use within 2 to 3 days. Do not clean the asparagus until you are ready to use it. If wilted, stand the stalks in a jar filled with 2 inches of very cold water. Cover with a plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before cooking.

Paulette Mitchell, a culinary instructor, television personality, spokesperson, freelance food writer, and the award-winning author of 13 cookbooks, is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare recipes with gourmet flair. Paulette's most recently published cookbook is "The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh." She is also the author of "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" and "The Spirited Vegetarian," which was voted "Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine" at the 2005 Gourmand World Media Awards. Paulette says that international travel is her favorite source of culinary inspiration.