I have always had a fondness for what the late cookbook editor and writer Judith Jones called “nursery foods,” simple dishes that appeal to the child in all of us.

One of my favorite such foods is grilled cheese. When my teeth sink into the crispy outside and the gooey inside of this lunch staple, I feel as though my late mother is at the table with me. The sandwich literally oozes comfort.

I was an adult before I tasted the Mexican variation on grilled cheese, a quesadilla. It has the same effect on me as American grilled cheese. And it is just as easy to prepare — if not easier.

Quesadillas are a cross-cultural product. For centuries, Mexican people had stuffed corn tortillas with squash for a sweetish meal or snack. When the Spanish arrived, they brought cows, and dairy was incorporated into this concoction.

”Queso” is the Spanish word for cheese. It was combined with the tortilla (“little cake”) to make the savory dish we enjoy today.

Go to any Mexican restaurant — or almost any American kitchen — and you’ll find many variations on the quesadilla. Some use flour tortillas instead of corn. Some incorporate meats, beans, vegetables, and/or herbs into their cheesy wraps.

We’re at the height of asparagus season here in western Massachusetts. And though the Pioneer Valley is sadly no longer the asparagus capital of the world (at one point, our asparagus was allegedly sent to Buckingham Palace for royal delectation), our farms still produce extraordinary fresh asparagus in May and June.

I personally do my best to eat asparagus at least once a day at this time of year. Mostly, I just steam, boil, sauté, or roast my green spears. I then either eat them plain or add them to salads.

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I was tickled when I came up with the idea of putting asparagus into a quesadilla. The idea of putting asparagus into something Mexican wasn’t original (alas, there are very few original food ideas!). I got it from the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival in Stockton, California.

San Juaquin is one of several asparagus fairs and festivals around the world, including our own Asparagus Festival in Hadley (which has just taken place); the “National” Asparagus Festival in Hart, Michigan; and the Firad’EspàrrecsGavà in Spain.

The last has operated since 1932 and was, I gather, suspended only during the Spanish Civil War. It celebrates white asparagus, which is actually just regular asparagus that is covered with soil and thus never experiences the photosynthesis that turns asparagus green.

California has a long history of melding Spanish and Anglo cultures and cuisine. When I asked the folks in Stockton for a recipe, they gave me a formula for asparagus and chicken enchiladas.

My family happily consumed the whole dish, but I was a little disappointed. It didn’t have a lot of oomph. It did, however, inspire me to put asparagus into a quesadilla, which had plenty of pop.

I wanted the asparagus to shine so I didn’t throw in too many other ingredients — mainly a little bit of red onion, which was just sweet enough not to overwhelm the spears, and cheese, which is a necessity for a quesadilla.

I tried it with a little prosciutto, which added a little extra protein. I used Cheddar cheese, but I should think a Swiss-type cheese like Jarlsberg would also be lovely with the asparagus. Monterrey Jack would work as well and would come closer to the cheese originally used in Mexico.

I give you … the Asparadilla.

Ingredients:

canola oil as needed for light frying

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces and blanched in salted water for 1 minute, then drained

lots of freshly ground pepper

4 small flour tortillas

1/2 to 1-1/2 cups grated cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swss, or a blend)

4 slices Prosciutto (optional)

chopped cilantro to taste (optional)

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, heat a small amount of oil and sauté the slices of onion until they brown around the edges — about 10 minutes over low to medium heat.

Stir in the asparagus, and toss for a minute or two. Grind pepper over the combination and toss again. Remove from heat.

In a frying pan or griddle, pour a small amount of additional oil and let it heat up. Place the first tortilla in the oil, let it heat for just a moment, and then flip it over. Toss on cheese to taste plus a quarter of the asparagus mixture.

At this point you may add a slice of Prosciutto (for a sort of Italian-American quesadilla) or a little cilantro (for a more Mexican-American quesadilla). Or you may leave well enough alone.

Fold the tortilla in half to seal the quesadilla, and make sure it is brown on both sides, turning again if necessary. (Be careful not to lose cheese if you turn!)

Remove the quesadilla from the heat and keep it warm while you repeat the process with the remaining tortillas. Garnish with cilantro if you like. (I like!)

Serves 4.

Tinky Weisblat is an award-winning cookbook author and singer known as the Diva of Deliciousness. Visit her website, TinkyCooks.com.