Everyone's positively gushing about asparagus these days — and with good reason. Though production slows to a trickle during the winter, the floodgates burst open in April as rivers of fresh asparagus come streaming into farmers' markets and pouring into grocery stores like surging green tidal waves of... um... sorry, could you excuse me for a moment?

(Time passes...)

OK, that's better. I forget what I was talking about, but oddly, I was just reminded of the passage from Swann's Way where the narrator describes how eating asparagus "transforms my chamberpot into a flask of perfume."

Interestingly, only about 40 percent of the population know what he's talking about — at least firsthand. But briefly, a sulphur-based compound in asparagus (which is related to the substance in asparagus' cousin, the onion, that makes your eyes water when you slice it) causes your pee to smell like — well, like a flask of perfume. And since no more than about 40 percent of people notice the effect themselves, it was originally thought that asparagus only reacted this way in certain people's bodies. But it turns out that asparagus turns everyone who eats it into a perfume factory. The difference is that only 40 percent of the population are capable of smelling it.

Not sure if you're one of the lucky ones? Here's an easy way to find out: Try this recipe for Sautéed Asparagus with Lemon & Thyme. It's a fantastic accompaniment for poultry or seafood, and served with rice it makes a terrific meal all by itself.
If you do try the experiment, report your results in my culinary arts discussion forum. And even if you don't feel like sharing, you can discuss anything else that might be on your mind, too.