History: Although some have speculated asparagus is native to the eastern Mediterranean and Africa, food historian Waverly Root believes the garden variety of the plant, a member of the lily family, was born on the coasts that run from the Baltic to the Atlantic to the British Isles. Birds scattered the asparagus seed across Europe and North America.

        FYI: White asparagus, which is “blanched” by covering the stalks with soil, is most common in Europe. Purple asparagus, less fibrous and sweeter than white or green asparagus, is common in European markets and becoming more common in the United States.

        Buy: Look for green asparagus that is firm and bright green with tight tips. Although it is not true that smaller stalks are necessarily more tender and sweeter, it is easier to properly cook asparagus spears that are all roughly the same diameter.

        Store: Asparagus tastes the best cooked the same day it's cut. But it can be stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Or, store standing upright in about an inch of water in the refrigerator.

        Prepare: Snap asparagus spears, holding each end in both hands. Discard the tough and fibrous bottom portion. Or, cut off the bottom of stalks and remove remaining tough outer layer with vegetable peeler. Wash asparagus thoroughly to remove any sand or grit.

        Cook: Steam or boil until barely tender; rinse with cold water to stop cooking. To microwave, place asparagus in dish and cover with plastic. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Test doneness with tip of knife. If almost done, let asparagus rest a minute or two. If too firm, microwave another minute and allow to rest. To roast, drizzle olive oil over asparagus and cook in 500-degree oven 5 minutes. Shake pan to redistribute, and roast another 5 minutes.

        Good for you: Asparagus contains a good amount of vitamin A and fair amount of iron, vitamins B and C.

        Professional treatment: Asparagus is the favorite vegetable side dish of steakhouses, such as Morton's and Jeff Ruby's, both downtown.

        Its classic accompaniment is hollandaise or bearnaise sauce. Those buttery, lemony sauces are perfect with the clean taste of asparagus, but add mightily to its calorie count.

        At Wildflour Bakery in Covington, asparagus is served as a Spanish tapa with raw sweet onion and a sauce of blue Spanish cabrales cheese. Manna Vegetarian Deli, downtown and Hyde Park, serves barely cooked asparagus with a heavy sprinkling of spices.

        Dining writer Polly Campbell contributed.

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Serve it this week: Asparagus