Well, two stories in the UT in one week and I’ve been waiting with anticipation for this piece to come out. It’s spring, and asparagus is at peak season. There are few people I know who don’t love it, but I did recently mention to someone that I was going to be writing about it, and I got that classic crinkled nose. How do you prepare it, I asked? When she said she boiled it, it was clear that her lack of enthusiasm was justified. Boiling is fine, but, oh, there are so many better ways to prepare it that will make you lust for spring just so you can eat those slender green spears.

I have my favorite go-to techniques but went to chef Kelli Crosson, executive chef at The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla for inspiration for new ways to think about asparagus—and she delivered. Not only did she prepare three very distinctive dishes for me, but also offered some tips for selecting and preparing them. You’ll want all of this, including the recipes, in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune.