Acclaimed as ‘Noble’, ‘Royal’, ‘The King of Vegetables’, ‘Edible Ivory’ or ‘White Gold’, from April until June one item dominates the German gastronomic scene in restaurants and home kitchens alike: Asparagus.
The Ancient Romans were keen on asparagus and there is evidence that they brought it to Germany too, but after their departure, it did not reappear until the late Middle Ages. Monastic gardens cultivated asparagus for its medicinal properties; it is considered especially beneficial to the kidneys as a diuretic and blood cleanser, and it is a strong source of a wide range of vitamins and potassium. Royal and aristocratic courts also valued it as a delicacy and for its apparent aphrodisiac effects.
However, it was not until the 19th century and the introduction of canning, that asparagus growing really started to take off in Germany, especially in the fields around Brunswick and Berlin. The two world wars inevitably saw a large reduction in production and consumption, but in the last 70 years asparagus has been on an unabated triumphal procession through German food culture. Asparagus is now grown in most German states, it is the most widely grown field vegetable in the country, and Germany is the fourth largest producer of asparagus in the world; in 2019 the German harvest amounted to some 130,000 tons. Still large quantities are imported from other countries to help meet the demand.
The scale and methods of production have not been uncontroversial. The large areas devoted to a low-yield ‘luxury’ crop, the widespread use of plastic covering and polytunnels and the piped heating of fields have all been the subject of criticism. Nevertheless, the production and consumption figures rise every year.
Since the late 19th century, Germans have preferred white varieties. Unlike green asparagus, which is common in most other countries, white asparagus is kept covered with a mound of soil and is cut as soon as the tip emerges; the plant can grow up to 10cm a day, so cutting can take place several times in a season. The skin is tougher and more fibrous than that of its green cousin and needs to be peeled before cooking. In recent years, supermarkets have installed large asparagus peeling machines for their customers during the asparagus season.
The start of the season varies, mainly according to the weather; usually it is around mid-April, but the end is traditionally fixed: the 24th of June, the Feast of St John the Baptist. The reason for this date is that is at least 100 days before the first autumn frost, and the plant needs this time to push up its leaves before the next winter and regenerate.
During the season asparagus dominates restaurant menus: soups, starters, main dishes, side dishes and in a few cases even desserts. Some bars serve asparagus cocktails. Open air and covered markets, grocery shops and supermarkets offer stalls and shelves packed with the white delicacy. The streets of German cities are full of people carrying bundles of asparagus back home.
This year the harvest will be problematic. Most of the 300,000 seasonal agricultural workers normally come from eastern Europe; many now fear getting infected with the coronavirus, in some cases borders have been closed preventing travel. Farmers are desperately seeking replacements; online portals in Polish, Bulgarian and Rumanian are open for applicants; those on unemployment benefit, pensioners and refugees have been suggested as potential sources of labour. The government is encouraging volunteers to come forward.
A failure of the asparagus harvest would be a real blow, principally of course for the farmers, but also for almost every German. The Spargelzeit is just too important a part of the culinary year.
German Word of the Week 