first asparagus tips

So despite the horizontal hail on Saturday, I went to pot on some seedlings but ended up huddled in the shed, shivering!

But one happy discovery in amongst the icy particles: the first tentative asparagus shoots.

Hooray! This will be the first year I’m ‘allowed’ to harvest them. It’s been very  hard to watch them come up over the past couple of years, letting them turn into wavy fronds without giving in to the temptation of cutting them and eating with butter.

I even have the perfect plate to serve them on – bought at an antique market and stored away in a cupboard waiting patiently for this moment (though I fear the total crop will look woefully small and puny on such a flamboyant platter!)

Haven’t yet dared to cut them – will go again this week to inspect and make the final decision as to the perfect moment to harvest the very first crop…