spring, summer, asparagus

 today i bought first asparagus of the season.

eating seasonal is marvelous. not only healthy, as you can easily go organic there, especially with markets like the one near my house, where many people come during summer and sell even the smallest amounts of their own fruits and vegetables. last year we had asparagus three-four times a week during the season and tried all kinds of recipes, but with the precious and sentimental first time i settled for something as simple as it gets. it was dreamy.

so i prepared scrambled eggs with asparagus. the result was creamy and soft, with more barely more eggs than greens, and i yet again assured myself that nothing can be better than easy good quality dished. rustic  even, although i wouldn’t exactly say childhood-like. i ate my first asparagus when i was a teenager. scrambled eggs though is something i grew up with and i like to prepare in it all different ways. every sunday morning since i can remember, since i have been two? three? we have been eating soft-boiled or scrambled eggs for breakfast and i feel like even when i move out, i will never ever change. and i will insist to add milk to it, or better yet fresh sour cream, no matter what everyone says. it gives the dish its creaminess and even texture, prevents the eggs from getting too dry and hard, enables to mix in the other ingredients easier. it’s a really brilliant idea.

the weekend was short and seemed rushed, like most days recently do. i had a presentation in my italian class, about sweets, and all the things i prepared were happily eaten to my pleasure. i will definitely make crostata ai mirtilli again, as well as cantucci, and a lonely square of second batch of lemon egg white cake is still lingering somewhere in the kitchen.  

i went cycling four times in the morning during the week and it felt amazing. all those times i went to church at 6:30 mass and then went off to one of my favourite roads. it’s 23 km and my usual time is a round hour, what satisfies me completely. when i come back home slightly tired and sweaty and immediately drink a glass of cool water, i feel so assured that the day will be good. i wish that would be possible every day, but i could never fit such exercise in my normal week’s schedule, especially thuesdays and thursdays when i actually leave home at 6:30.

it is a week off now, for we have national holiday on may 1^st and 3^rd, so the whole week is basically free for whoever can, and my university holds classes only on friday and it’s only two i should go to.  the weather makes it feel like holidays and i quite like that deception, but it is disquieting. knowing that there will be two month of intense work after this week, two months where i will need to do by best and not to fail myself, that will make big impact on lots of things. it makes me tired to even think of that, especially that most of the work is for uni and subjects i have not even slightest interest in, but i will do well. i have to do well.

and the other day, i was wondering about what i should do with my future, if the plans i keep making have any sense, and possibility to become real. then when i went to church i was praying, and i came to an wonderful and clear conclusion, laughing at myself for not figuring it out sooner:  if there is a church where i am, and god, then wherever i go, i will feel at home.

cycling numbers:

fast : 170 km

slow: 40 km

asparagus scrambled eggs recipe

(for 4 people)

6 eggs

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp butter

salt

pepper

a bunch of asparagus

lemon juice / vinegar

prepare the asparagus:

break off the hard ends, peel, wash and put in water with a dash of acidifier (lemon juice / vinegar)

boil for 7-10 minutes, until soft (depending on their thickness and freshness)

rinse in ice cold water (to maintain the springiness)

cut in 3 cm (1”) pieces

in a small bowl, beat the eggs slightly with milk, salt and pepper

melt butter and pour the egg mixture, stir over medium heat until it starts to set slightly, add asparagus and continue stirring until done to your liking

serve with fresh bread and cold butter