A treat for the senses. The smell of fresh asparagus for the first time in the year tells us that spring has finally arrived.

For a delicious “Asparagus with Sauce Hollandaise” for 4 persons, just peel 2 kg of white asparagus and cut off the ends of the stalks. Let the peels boil in water and season with salt, sugar, and the juice of one lemon. Let it steep for 20 minutes and then strain through a fine sieve. Put the peeled asparagus in the asparagus stock and slowly simmer for 15–20 minutes or let them steep until the asparagus is still slightly firm to the bite. In the meantime, scrub 700 g of potatoes and cook in salted water for about 30 minutes, then drain.
 

Put 3 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of crème fraîche in a tall container and puree until smooth with a hand blender. Bring 125 g of butter to the boil briefly, pour slowly into the container while running the hand blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the asparagus and potatoes immediately with the hollandaise sauce. And now enjoy – ideally with one of the delicious white wines from the Rhine Valley!