As you can see in the picture, luscious strawberries are showing up, even in this northern Italy market in Pinerolo, where the Giro d'Italia just passed through.

There are also some very spiny artichokes and lots of asparagus.

Risotto with asparagus is simple to prepare. We warm some broth and add the chopped up stems of asparagus to the broth to cook a bit, then we brown the rice a little in a butter/olive oil combo, then start adding the broth and the stems, stirring frequently. When the rice is just about finished we add the tender tips to just barely cook them. Finish with some Parmigiano Reggiano, and you're done!