Rinse the asparagus bunches under cold water and lay them on a cutting board. Hold each spear near the woody end and gently bend it until it snaps naturally at the point where the tender part begins—this is where the asparagus wants to break naturally. Discard the woody ends. Set the trimmed asparagus aside on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry slightly.

Fill a large pot with 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt to the boiling water. Carefully add the trimmed asparagus spears and return to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the spears are tender-crisp and easily pierced with a fork (they should still have a slight bite to them). While the asparagus cooks, you'll begin making the hollandaise in the next step.

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the 3 room-temperature egg yolks, 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water, 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. I like using room-temperature yolks because they emulsify much more smoothly than cold ones, giving you a silkier sauce.

Place the saucepan with the egg yolk mixture over low heat and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and pale and you can see the bottom of the pan briefly between whisks. Add 1 tablespoon of the cold butter and continue whisking until fully incorporated. Now begin adding the remaining softened butter in small pieces (about walnut-sized) while constantly moving the pan on and off the heat—this on-and-off motion is crucial because it prevents the eggs from scrambling while ensuring the butter emulsifies properly. The sauce should become creamy and thick as you add each piece. I find that working the pan on and off heat, rather than keeping it constantly on the burner, gives me much better control and prevents the sauce from breaking.

Once all the butter from Step 4 is incorporated and the sauce is smooth and creamy, remove it from heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, and the 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest. Whisk gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If the sauce seems too thick, you can whisk in a small amount of warm water (a teaspoon at a time) until you reach the desired consistency.

Drain the cooked asparagus from Step 2 in a colander and arrange the spears on a serving platter or individual plates. Pour the warm hollandaise sauce from Step 5 over the asparagus, allowing it to cascade naturally over the spears. Serve immediately while both the asparagus and sauce are still warm.