Magazine Challenge: Creamy Fettuccine with Asparagus

So.
I love goat cheese.  It always tastes to me like Spring.  Asparagus also makes me think of Spring.  I so want the nice weather right now.  Despite the fact that I'm still coughing from a cold, it's finally getting nice enough to start thinking about eating outside and grilling.
In fact, grilling was what made me decide that I needed to make this recipe.  J and I dusted off the BBQ for the first time of the season the other night to grill salmon.  I thought of this as a perfect foil with the grilled fish.  I was right.  It was lovely.  It made a fantastic lunch the next day too.
I present to you now from the April 2005 edition of Everyday Food Creamy Fettuccine with Asparagus:

Ingredients:

3/4 lb fettuccine
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, stalks cut in half lengthwise, and cut in thirds
4 oz goat cheese, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp grainy mustard
2 tsp dried dill

Method:
1.  In a large pan, bring enough water to a boil the pasta.  With 5 minutes to go, add the cut asparagus to steam.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water when the pasta is al dente before draining the pasta and asparagus.
2.  Return pasta to the pan, adding the water and remaining ingredients.  Toss until well combined.  Season with salt and pepper.

From Everyday Food, April 2005

I love pine nuts.  Frankly, I love all the flavours in this recipe.  Spring.  Yum.

The asparagus turned bright green quickly, and the water I reserved was green.  We eat only whole wheat pasta here.  It's a little darker than the traditional stuff, but we like it.

And here's the final dish.  It had a little kick, but nothing really overpowered.  The pine nuts were just a bit of a surprise as you ate.
J told me I could make this again.  It made a nice lunch later too.