MORE fresh Spring fruits and veggies installments, along with great corresponding recipes we found on THE FOOD NETWORK:

SPRING Fruits and Veggies:

ASPARAGUS: White or green, the first sight of spring's favorite vegetable truly means that the seasons are changing. With green asparagus, make sure to buy pencil-thin stalks with a bright green color and tips that are still closed and compact as those are both good indications of freshness.

You can bend the stalk to see where it snaps and peel the bottom to avoid any woody, fibrous matter. White asparagus, which enjoys nearly cult-like popularity in Europe, never sees the sun which is how it maintains its pale appearance.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

2 pounds medium asparagus (2 bunches), cut in half crosswise
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt
6 TBSP unsalted butter
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
7 TBSP all-purpose flour
3 parsley sprigs
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 C heavy cream

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with salted ice water. Working in 2 batches, add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to bowl of ice water. Drain. Reserve 7 1/2 C of cooking liquid.

Thinly slice 18 of the asparagus tips on the diagonal and reserve for a garnishing the soup. Chop the remaining asparagus spears into small pieces.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots; cook, covered, stirring until soft, about 12 min. Add flour; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 min. more.

Pour in reserved asparagus cooking liquid; bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine and add to soup. Lower the heat; simmer 10 min.

Stir in chopped asparagus; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove and discard herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer asparagus mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve placed over a large bowl, strain the asparagus soup. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.

Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper. Divide among warm soup bowls, sprinkle each soup with the reserved asparagus tips, and serve immediately.