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Email Story to a Friend May 17, 2006 Asparagus: It's one of life's simple pleasures At those simple moments in life when the world seems absolutely right with itself — and you feel lucky to be along for the ride — a funny little thing happens inside your brain. In the blink of an eye, that momentary blip of happiness you get from rediscovering a tulip, a puppy or children at play is anchored to a bit of grey matter, and you become an even better person in the process. But most of us move past such tiny epiphanies far too quickly. We forget that it's the sum of all those wonderful little vignettes that make us whole. Which, of course, is where asparagus comes in. Certainly, in the grand scheme of things, it isn't as essential as world peace. But sitting down to a plate of lightly steamed young asparagus napped in a lemon-butter sauce can most definitely put a rosy spin on things. And who's to say that the world wouldn't be a better place if more people did exactly that more often? Advertisement Particularly this time of year when the quality of asparagus is so high and requires so little effort on your part. Indeed, why tinker with perfection? As long as it's fresh and sweet, the only treatment it needs is a few tenderizing minutes in boiling water and — at the most — a simple, well-seasoned sauce. You can alter this approach once the season is past its prime, and you aren't in it so much for the art as the flavor. That's when you get cream of asparagus soup. But for now, the fate of your evening meal — and just maybe the world — is in your hands. So don't blow it. Serve asparagus. Simple preparations Asparagus Flemish: Simply stir two hard-cooked, sieved eggs and two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice into half a cup of melted butter. Season with a little salt and pepper and dribble it over one and a half to two pounds of lightly cooked asparagus spears. Asparagus Polonaise: For each pound of asparagus, combine two chopped hard-cooked eggs with two tablespoons chopped parsley and sprinkle it over the cooked asparagus. Saute one-quarter cup of bread crumbs in six tablespoons of melted butter until the crumbs are golden brown, then pour the sauce over the warm asparagus. Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations --> online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Entertainment Guide --> Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s Advertisement