A member of the lily family, perhaps no food tastes more different fresh than canned. The tougher base of asparagus should not be used. Bend each spear near the base and the point where it snaps easily is the part to discard. If you use a microwave, a simple way to cook a bunch of asparagus is to stand it in a glass 1/3 filled with water and covered by a sandwich bag. Cook on Full Power for 2 minutes for bright green tender tips.
Asparagus is a diuretic and a laxative but it has been thought to soothe bee stings, improve eyesight, and even ease toothache. Its name probably comes from its feathery leaves which were once called 'sparrow-grass'. The stalks contain sulphur, so if you don't want to ruin the taste of your wines at a meal, add grated cheese when you serve it – to the asparagus, that is. Use them:
sliced and tossed through a stirfry
dressed lightly with salt-reduced soya sauce, minced garlic and ginger