melons and squashes, grapevines, and hops,
which grow rapidly in the spring, and have
long been enjoyed as among the first fresh
vegetables of the new season.
Asparagus
Asparagus is the main stalk of a plant in the
lily family, Asparagus officinalis, a native of
Eurasia that was a delicacy in Greek and
Roman times. The stalk doesn’t support
ordinary leaves; the small projections from
the stem are leaf-like bracts that shield
immature clusters of feathery photosynthetic
branches. The stalks grow up from long-lived
underground rhizomes, and have been widely
prized as a tender manifestation of spring.
Many other vegetables have been called “poor
man’s asparagus,” including young leeks,
blackberry shoots, and hop shoots. It remains
expensive today because the shoots grow at
different rates and must be harvested by hand.