Remember when you couldn’t get brussels sprouts everywhere? Back in the olden days, when they might appear in a cafeteria, probably hospital, boiled or smothered with cheese sauce as a tip of the hat that they tasted awful. Then not too long ago, brussels made the acquaintance of the deep fryer and the Granny Smith apple and fruity vinegar, and now they’re everywhere and they’re delicious.

Asparagus had its heyday too, but no one seemed to do anything interesting with it. Grilled or occasionally deep-fried in the same type of batter onion rings are deep-fried in. It was good of course – I’d eat my shoelaces if they were battered and fried. But in general, asparagus was a yawn. I stopped making it at home because it no longer appealed.

Then along came this recipe. It’s based on a classic Italian salad, and not only is it easy to make, the egg vinaigrette elevates the asparagus to something it only dreamed of being before.

Note: If you’re not going to use asparagus right away, don’t be like me and store it in a plastic bag in the recesses of the veggie drawer, only to be forgotten until it gets wilty and smelly. Instead, trim the stalks and pop them stem side down in a glass of water, covering the tops loosely with plastic wrap. The thirsty stems sip on the water and stay plump and fresh, and your refrigerator will think you gave it a lovely bouquet.