spear grass (aka asparagus).

I love asparagus! It was my favorite vegetable as a child and is still one of my favorites. I was lucky to be introduced to it via our family garden so spears were harvested and cooked nearly immediately. Between the garden my parents kept until I was 8 (we moved) and visits to my grandparents farm where they kept an extensive garden I learned to love vegetables at a young age because ate the freshest. Yum! 

The New York Times posted a piece on asparagus and the best technique to remove the tough ends (cut, not snap). McGee also suggests slicing the tough bits for adding to soups and other dishes (stir-fry!). The shortened fibers won't be as noticeably tough. At the farmer's market nearly every booth is loaded with asparagus right now.