Joels Tips for buying asparagus: Commonly known as grass to growers and in kitchen jargon. Look for nicely compacted spear heads avoiding any that are looking open, slimy or spindly. The bottom cut ends should look freshly cut and not brown and dry. Now put your nose into the bunch and take a deep smell. The asparagus should smell of fresh greens not a wet sock! If it is a little smelly, chances are that the next day the tips will be slimy and starting to go off. When you get the asparagus home, cut off the bottom ends by 1 cm and place them standing in a little cold water. We use a 1 litre measuring jug with 50-100ml of water in the bottom. Keep in the refrigerator without wrapping. This will keep the spears nice and fresh for a few days. The recipe below serves 4 and if you follow the tips the taste will be there.