It's Spargelzeit!

Ah yes, it's spring and that can only mean one thing in Germany, especially South/Central Germany, it's Spargelzeit (Asparagus Time). This is the time of the year, April to June, when white asparagus or Bleichspargel (bleached asparagus) puts Germans into a culinary frenzy. This delectable little tuber, which is 95% water, is a virtual cult favorite in Deutschland and Germans consume a lot of it. One figure I read was that 127,000 tons of the stuff were consumed last year, more than any other country in the world, with the possible exception of Switzerland. It is typically served with hollandaise sauce or with a light topping of melted cheese, for example parmesan as shown here.

You might think, "asparagus, no big deal". But the asparagus popular with Deutschers is not just your ordinary green asparagus, sometimes bitter and tough and found in bunches at your local Safeway. No, the production of white asparagus is an expensive and time consuming process and Germans appreciate its mild taste and tenderness. It takes at least three years for a white asparagus crop to be harvested and the process involves piling sand and compost over the root stocks to create the blanching effect so loved here. The stalks can grow two to three inches a day during the growing season and the grower must be sure to keep the stalks covered as they begin to sprout up to maintain the desired bleaching effect.

I started to wonder what is it with white asparagus that makes Germans go crazy over the stuff? No one really knows for sure but there are a couple of prime theories. The first is that Spargel's arrival is associated with that of spring. And after a dark, cold and sometimes dreary winter, what could make one happier than a plate of white asparagus?

The other theory for Spargel's popularity is rooted in history. The Romans introduced it to Germany 2,000 years ago as a delicacy and Louis XIV grew it in hot houses, reserving its consumption for nobles only. In the 16th century, it began being cultivated in earnest in the Stuttgart area and was nicknamed "the royal vegetable". The 17th century prince-elector in the Schwetzingen area, near Mannheim, ordered it to be grown on his palatial grounds. And today, the town of Schwetzingen is the self-proclaimed "asparagus capital" of the world. 

Tanya and I were in Schwetzingen last weekend and enjoyed this wonderful vegetable in one of the town's many popular Spargel venues.

South American Trip Recap (1)

OK, by popular demand (from one of our three or four readers) I've finally gotten off my duff and will begin recapping last month's South American adventure. In our last post Tanya and I had landed in Buenos Aires and were about to start exploring the area for a couple of days before heading off on our trip to Brazil and the Amazon. It had been several years since our last trip here and we wanted to see what we had missed last time. Conscientious researcher that I am, I brushed up my knowledge of the area from a Frommers guide. But, as usual, our experiences are much better when they occur serendipitously than when we follow what some guidebook writer thinks is something we should see. For example, while walking through the Recoleta neighborhood we just happened to be part of a small group of onlookers watching an outdoor cooking show being broadcast on Buenos Aires TV. The stars of the show were whipping up some tasty variations of Argentine cuisine at a couple of cooking stations set up on the grounds of one the city's large broadcasting complexes. Unfortunately, we weren't asked to appear on camera to sample the results but just taking part in the sights and smells of the show was worth the stop.

Then, continuing on through the very high-class Recoleta district we walked by several embassies, luxury car dealerships and high-end apartment buildings. And of course, we saw several professional dog-walkers, with as many as 15 dogs on separate leashes. Apparently these guys are pretty well paid and according to one Porteno we talked to, make more money than teachers in Buenos Aires. But then again, most people make more than teachers.

Three days in BA and three different steak houses, all in the Palermo area. You can read my reviews of them on TripAdvisor under my name, "Thunderbird 12." The best one we experienced was a very local kind of place, "Calden del Soho" which served one of the best steak dinners we've ever had. I think we consumed more meat in our three days in Buenos Aires than we've had in a year, and we loved every carnivorous minute of it.