Anyone fortunate enough to be in Germany in late April, May or the first half of June, has undoubtedly experienced “Spargel Saison”: Asparagus Season. These are not your ordinary asparagus spears! They are round, and fat, and so fresh-looking as to be unreal. They are ethereally white, and they have a dainty crisp-tenderness that defies description. They can also be extremely expensive, with the first local spears starting at around $30 for a kilo (2.2 pounds). It is the white gold of the vegetable world (excepting hops shoots, which relate to beer so we won’t go there) – ranking up there with other costly edibles such as white truffles and saffron.
Come Asparagus Season, traditional dishes such as asparagus cream soup (many variations, but all delicious), and steamed asparagus spears with herbed crepes (or steamed potatoes) and hollandaise sauce, make their seasonal appearance on menus across the country, but especially in the Rhine Valley. Suggested wine pairings include Baden’s Gutedel, and Franconia’s Silvaner wines.
