What is the best way to cook FRESH, not frozen asparagus?

first, take each spear, and hold the base (the end that's cut) and a couple inches up, bend and snap it. do this for all of them. This removes the tougher bottom portion.

place the spears in a steamer (or sauce pot with steamer basket) and steam for about 8 minutes (until it's bright green, starting to turn dark again). remove immediately from the steamer and season to taste.

I cooked professionally for many many years and find this to be the best way to retain flavor, some crispness and all the viatmins.

Snap off the tough ends. Place in a microwave dish. Sprinkle with fresh lemon, garlic, and salt. Pour some canned chicken broth around the asparagus. Cover and micro for six minutes. Stir and continue cooking under tender... but not mushy.

We like to grill our asparagus for about 7 - 10 minutes with just a little salt and pepper added. Follow instructions from other answers to snap off the "woody" ends though - that part is really not good!

I don't eat asparagus myself but have cooked it this way many times and everyone loves it. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place prepared spears on roasting pan flat. Drizzle with olive oil and srpinkle with garlic powder. Bake for 10 minutes being careful not to burn.

We eat asparagus all the time, I just snap all the hard ends off. Then I snap them in half, because they are kinda tough to cut with your fork. I boil them on the stove and just keep poking a fork through them until they are to my family's liking. It all depends on how you like them. Some people like them a little crunchy.

the chefs on Food Network seem to think roasting asparagus is the best way to accentuate its flavor. i dont eat it, so i cant prove this. sorry.

steaming is best.

i cook mine in the microwave in a glass dish with a little bit of water, cover with plastic wrap.

6-8 min on high (depends how much, and how you like it)

done!