Schwetzingen Germany, Asparagus Capital

Schwetzingen Germany is known as the Spargel (white asparagus) capital of the world. White asparagus was once a luxury food, only served royal class.... more

by Amy Sorvillo

Title

Schwetzingen Germany, Asparagus Capital

Artist

Amy Sorvillo

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

Schwetzingen Germany is known as the Spargel (white asparagus) capital of the world. White asparagus was once a luxury food, only served royal class. Thankfully times have changed and we can all eat asparagus! Schwetzingen is crazy about the vegetable and holds a big festival every year at harvest time to celebrate.

Here is a little information about white asparagus from Wikipedia:
White asparagus is very popular in Europe and western Asia. White asparagus is the result of applying a blanching technique while the asparagus shoots are growing. To cultivate white asparagus, the shoots are covered with soil as they grow, i.e. earthed up; without exposure to sunlight, no photosynthesis starts, and the shoots remain white. Compared to green asparagus, the locally cultivated so-called "white gold" or "edible ivory" asparagus, also referred to as "the royal vegetable", is believed to be less bitter and much more tender. Freshness is very important, and the lower ends of white asparagus must be peeled before cooking or raw consumption.

Only seasonally on the menu, asparagus dishes are advertised outside many restaurants, usually from late April to June. For the French style, asparagus is often boiled or steamed and served with Hollandaise sauce, melted butter or olive oil, Parmesan cheese, or mayonnaise.Tall, narrow asparagus cooking pots allow the shoots to be steamed gently, their tips staying out of the water.

During the German Spargelsaison or Spargelzeit ("asparagus season" or "asparagus time"), the asparagus season that traditionally finishes on 24 June, roadside stands and open-air markets sell about half of the country's white asparagus consumption.

Uploaded

March 29th, 2020