Jersey Italian Asparagus Salad

ASPARAGUS BACKGROUND - For most of the 20^th century, asparagus was grown by almost every South Jersey vegetable farmer. They don't yield much, but asparagus do bring a premium price, so even Jersey's smallest farms produce asparagus. More importantly, they are harvested early, providing critical cash flow so farmers can afford to nurture other later-season crops like tomatoes and sweet corn. New Jersey, despite its small size and limited amount of farmland, ranks 4^th nationally in asparagus production. Our state is, however, number one in asparagus breeding, introducing hybrids such as Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, and Jersey Supreme. Rutgers University is one of the premier asparagus breeders in the world. 
ASPARAGUS TIPS - (see what I did there!) Asparagus should be fresh and firm, the tip should be tight and not opened. Never cut the hard bottom portion of the spear; hold each end of the spear and snap it. This will ensure that the spear snaps at its 'tender point' and you don't inadvertently leave a tough portion attached by cutting too high on the spear. Be sure to invest in an asparagus steamer. An Asparagus steamer is a very tall, narrow, cylinder-shaped, stainless-steel pot with a tall, narrow insert or basket. The pot will have a lid, either solid metal or glass. The pot's insert will have a handle for easy lifting out. Because their texture varies up and down the stem, Asparagus is hard to cook uniformly without one of these.
LOCAL LORE - Asparagus is available year-round. For much of the year, its imported and tastes a bit like the carton it was shipped in! For this recipe, you need fresh, firm, local asparagus. My Dad grew asparagus on our farm when I was young; however, eventually it gave way to other crops. Growing up I never ate or even knew asparagus was served warm as a side dish! My mother always made it as an asparagus salad, so I thought that was the only way to prepare it. I now eat asparagus like crazy, prepared in any number of ways. But this salad is still my 'go-to' asparagus recipe. The fact that it's fast, simple, and delicious doesn't hurt. Enjoy.

Fill the pot about 1/5 full of water. Bring the water to a boil, and put your prepared asparagus in it upright, tip ends up. This ensures that the tougher ends of the stalks are in water, where they get boiled, and the more tender tips are out of the water, where they just get steamed. 
 
Let simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Test a spear to see if it’s done to your liking. After removing the cage with your cooked asparagus (be careful, the steam is super-hot and can give your hand a nasty burn), run the cage under cold water to stop the asparagus from continuing to cook and getting mushy.
Lay the cooked asparagus side by side in a layer in a marinator or small casserole dish. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and sprinkle the crushed garlic over the top. Drizzle with high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours to chill. Serve cold or at room temperature. The asparagus will keep for a few days and are even better the next day.