Happy (Chilly, Rainy, Gray) Spring ! !

Leap Year has thrown everything out of sync in 2008, especially a horribly early Easter Sunday with little time for preparation . . . not to mention a dreaded Daylight Savings Time changeover so premature as to be gruesome. Like we need to get up an hour earlier with a fiercer hangover here at Cafe Drake!

Rolling with the punches dealt however, Cafe Drake has planned a holiday brunch out with good friends and welcomed the Spring shift despite snow showers and slate-colored skies. In honor of the most transient of seasons, we offer yet another variation on the time-proven and most heavenly of food combinations - Asparagus and Egg.

ASPARAGUS WITH EGGS AND BACON

Lightly adapted from The Pat Conroy Cookbook ( a gift from Cafe Drake's Dirty South cousin Anne Michaels), this is a quick-fire Cafe Drake version sure to please as both a brunch side dish or Spring dinner party starter.

Roughly: saute 1 large bunch of asparagus (rinsed and broken at the bending portion of the stem) in 2 T. butter for 3 minutes until softened. Transfer to a covered dish kept warm in a LOW oven (do not exceed 200 degrees if your model does not have a "Warm" setting).

Meanwhile break 3-4 quail eggs into a buttered skillet over low heat. If quail eggs are hard to come by (they shouldn't be now as a stock feature in most basic markets), substitute 2 chicken eggs. Spread the whites out gently with a wooden spoon and cook till whites are just set firmly.

Place asparagus spears on a platter and top with eggs. Sprinkle with previously-fried crumbled bacon or pancetta. If desired, sprinkle further with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper generously.