How do you cook German asparagus?
Cook the Asparagus: Peel the asparagus, cutting off the woody ends. Add sugar and salt to boiling water. Gently place asparagus into the water and, once it is boiling again, reduce heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from water and keep warm until sauce is ready.
Does white asparagus have to be peeled?
The outer layer of white asparagus can be tough and fibrous, which means it’s best to peel white asparagus. To remedy this, it’s best to use a vegetable peeler to remove the woody layer before cooking the same way you would with green asparagus.
What is white asparagus called in Germany?
Spargelzeit
Spargelzeit—white asparagus season in Germany—is coming.
At what time of year do Germans like to eat asparagus?
Germans, however, prefer the white variety that is harvested from about mid-April to the end of June. (Traditionally season’s end is June 24, St. John the Baptist Day.) They’ve given this harvest season it’s own name — Spargelzeit, and celebrate it with passion.
Why is white asparagus so expensive?
Why is white asparagus so expensive? Because growing white asparagus underground is much more labor intensive, that’s reflected in the price. Each stalk must be unearthed and cut by hand, a painstaking job. White asparagus can be as a much as $2 more a bunch than green.
Are white asparagus good for you?
The Bottom Line Asparagus is a nutritious and tasty addition to any diet. It’s low in calories and a great source of nutrients, including fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K.
Can you eat white asparagus raw?
Asparagus is a highly nutritious vegetable that can be eaten cooked or raw. Because of its tough texture, cooking is the most popular preparation method. However, thinly sliced or marinated raw spears can be equally enjoyable.
Why is white asparagus so popular in Germany?
Many Germans prefer the white variety because it is thought to be more tender and less bitter. The stalks are generally thicker and longer than the green version, which has a tougher skin that makes it unpalatable. Thankfully, many German supermarkets have machines on site that do all the peeling for you.
Why do Germans love asparagus so much?
Every year the German people eat 140,000 tons of asparagus, nearly all of it the white variety. They proclaimed Nienburg Spargel to be the best in Germany and attributed white asparagus’ popularity to its nutrient content, its local cultivation, and the arrival of the harvest with warm weather every spring.
Why is there no white asparagus in the US?
Between its tenderness and laborious growing practices, white asparagus is even more prized (and more expensive) than the first stalks of the green stuff at the market—and you probably won’t find white asparagus at American farmers markets, or American-grown asparagus in grocery stores.
What is the difference between white and green asparagus?
The basic difference between green and white asparagus relates back to its roots—literally. While white asparagus is grown in a dark environment, either underground or well covered, the green version gets to soak up all the sunlight.