How do we know its springtime here in Tuscany? Just saying “springtime is here” is dull and a little out-of-date, don’t you think?

Imagine yourself dozing in the warm sunshine, blessed by a breeze under a blooming almond tree, on the bright green grass carpet covering the hills of the outlying countryside of Certaldo; the small vibrant daisies, primroses and violets slowly popping out here and there, filling the air with their delighting scent, while birds’ and bees’ is the only buzz you can hear around you. Can you picture yourself immersed into this fairy Tuscan spring scenery?

Now, I guess that’s what it takes to describe the arrival of Spring when it comes to nature’s awakening here in Tuscany, but wait! Here at Giuseppina’s Cooking School, we have one more good green reason to say “Yay springtime!”

It’s when the wild asparagus sprouts pop out. The delicious and tender weed that grows abundant in the Tuscan countryside, mostly in arid environments, on open fields that haven’t been farmed in a while, or wherever there’s a cluster of trees. Its unique taste has been accompanying our great Tuscan culinary tradition since ages, and its multitude of uses in the kitchen have been passed on through generations in our family.

However, don’t get tricked by the name: wild asparagus sprouts are nothing like their cultivated peers, the common asparagus you can easily find at the grocery store. In fact, unlike the thick and woody sprouts of the common asparagus, the wild one is almost as thin as a grass blade, with a slightly bitter and pungent taste. Grandma always said “where there’s one there are hundreds,” and truly it is so, as wild asparagus grows rampant in big thick clusters, that we usually call “asparagiaie”.

As you might know, we’re all about keeping our traditions alive, so this is the perfect time of year to get together on Sundays, put on our rubber boots, and go hiking in the woods to find this nature’s delicacy. Sometimes, we even have a fun competition to see who can fill their basket the fastest, leaving the loser to do the hard work of cleaning and cooking the grunt once we get home. It’s a fantastic way to spend time with family or friends and bring home fresh, picked ingredients for a meal.

The best way to eat it?

But what do you do with so much of this wonderful stuff? You might be wondering. Well, even though we might have gathered a ton of wild sprouts in our baskets, it’s usually not enough. We enjoy this bounty in many ways, from eating them raw, freshly picked, or just seared with a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, and salt, to dipping them into poached eggs. You can also combine them with classic pasta and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan shavings, or add them to a beaten egg or two and season them well for an exquisite Italian omelet with just a splash of fine balsamic vinegar.

It feels like there are as many risotto recipes as there are asparagus sprouts! But we’ve saved the best for last because there’s a dish in our family that’s been around for ages and keeps inspiring us: it’s the smooth, creamy risotto con gli asparagi, Giuseppina’s special dish for wild asparagus, and that’s why we’re always on the hunt for wild sprouts every year! Believe me, once you’ve had a taste of this beautiful spring dish, you won’t ever get enough of it. It’s nothing like the same old risotto you’re used to, it’s just so scented and delicate, yet distinctive and savory. Giuseppina sticks to and values her traditional family recipes of course, and you can only experience this live in her kitchen. But here’s a little secret I’m going to share with you: I know it might sound strange, but she never adds wine to simmer her wild asparagus risotto!