Ivory Stalks

For most people, that first stalk of roasted or grilled asparagus is a revelation. Once you go there, all browned and full of big flavor, you never want to go back. If you're of that school of thought, white asparagus can be another kind of revelation, a lesson in restraint. It's great caramelized too, but its true charms show when it's cooked gently: simmered, steamed, boiled, or spectacularly poached in sugar and salt. Try it the traditional French way: boiled standing up in heavily salted water, leaving the tender heads to steam above the submerged stalks. It comes out sweet, with the texture of softened butter.