Heading north along the coastal road famously known as Route 1 is an unforgettable experience. When the sun shines on the rolling hills covered with orange poppies and the winding road is clear, the spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean can take your breath away. That trip from my twenties is still one of my most memorable. Not just because the three of us (me, my boyfriend Michael, and our good friend Tim) drove it in a VW van—which is to say slowly from San Francisco through Oregon to the San Juan Islands in Washington. The most exciting part of the trip for me, the food nerd, was when we learned how to find and pick wild veggies in Washington. If you haven’t already planned a road trip for this year, it’s time. And the Pacific Northwest is waiting for you.

Our first overnight stop was Mendocino. At the local fish market we bought fresh abalone and at the campsite we sliced, pounded, and cooked it in a little butter until lightly golden. I could hardly wait to get it out of the pan, threw it on to a bun with a slice of tomato and washed it down with a local brew—a spectacular start to our trip.

Of course the California coastline is known for its beauty, but once we got into Oregon the scenery was even more stunning. Waves crashed onto huge multiple rock formations at one beach and half a mile up the road, mist clung to the cliffs as the flat sandy beach continued on as far as the eye could see in Coos Bay. Up through Oregon and about another week later we crossed the Washington state line. We were headed for the San Juan Islands to visit our friends River and Leif. If you have never been to these islands, I highly recommend it. Time just slows down like a throwback to lazy summer days. On the short trip to Orcas Island I sat down at a table with an unfinished jigsaw puzzle and immediately got drawn in, looking for the one elusive piece. The island was green and lush from the winter rains and the sun had just started to bring out the wildflowers. After lunch our friends took us for a walk through the meadows behind their house. River pointed out spears of asparagus hiding beneath grasses, clover, and last year’s dead asparagus stalks; I never would have noticed them growing there. They need a little sun to start growing tall enough to have an adequate sized stalk; on the other hand a full day of sun would kill them. She explained that pinching the spears encourages more growth, and since they grow pretty quickly it is easy to get a good crop. (Asparagus almost every night now sounds like heaven to me.) We picked a basketful and headed back in to dinner. Steaming the asparagus took just a few minutes, as it was so fresh. We tossed it with a few other wild herbs gathered out back and sat down to our foraged feast.

The recipe this week features my now favorite vegetable, asparagus. Green garlic can be found this time of year too, but the season is short and if you can’t find it don’t use regular garlic; shallots are a good alternative. This recipe is easy to throw together as a side dish for a weekday meal or to bring along to a party. I’m not sure how long asparagus is going to be in the market, so get some while you can.

Charred Asparagus with Chimichurri Sauce

Adapted from David Tanis

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of finely chopped green garlic or shallots

• 1/4 cup each of mint and flat leaf parsley finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons of fresh oregano finely chopped

• ½ cup olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

• 1 bunch asparagus—the thinner, the better

• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

• 10-12 olives

Instructions:

In a small bowl add green garlic (if using see above), fresh herbs, and 2 tablespoons of water, stir to combine. Add olive oil salt and pepper and the red wine vinegar and stir and set aside.

Snap off ends of asparagus and toss with just a little olive oil. Place them in a cast iron skillet and either grill them or broil them until they are slightly charred— 4-5 minutes. Place them on a platter and cover them with the sauce; sprinkle with feta and olives and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: If your spears are medium to large you will want to steam them first for 2-3 minutes—no longer or they will overcook.