Asparagus rise

A German asparagus memorial (yes, we like them white and earth them up for that purpose. I'm all for the green ones though)

The asparagus in the allotment plot that I'm taking care of for my travelling housemate behaves a bit like a chamaleon. It has spring colors and fits perfectly into the shades of green and yellow all around it. I always have to squat in different angles to spot all the little upcoming stalks. And only once I thought I have them all in my bag ready to come home with me, there is the most beautiful one standing upright under the elderberry tree, like it wonders why I didn't put it with its buddies yet. So I take it home, too, and they all rejoin in a dish which originates from Nigel Slater's wonderful book "Tender". Straight-forward, grounded cooking (although admittedly a bit towards the fatty side at times, you have to like that British way of adding lots of flavor). His idea of joining asparagus with cardamom, a bit of cinnamon, thyme and cumin into a pilaf, joined by fava beans and a mint joghurt made my belly really happy.