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The History of Spargels in Germany

To understand the German love for white asparagus it helps to know a little of their history. Spargels most likely came to Germany via the Roman empire after their conquest and used the lush farmland in the Rhineland to help supply growing demand in Rome.

When the Roman empire crumbled so did the asparagus industry and became virtually unknown.

Cultivating was revived later starting with monks in the mid 16th century but as with so many foods it was more for medicinal purposes. The vegetable increased in polularity. Why then did they start " Whitening" or as they call it "Bleaching" the Spargels? There is a cool legend that once a hailstorm destroyed an asparagus crop and the town was forced to eat the part that was underground and found it more tender and sweeter. They started piling soil around the spears as they shot up or put a cover on it.

 

 

Recipes using Spargels (asparagus) | How to Cook Spargels |

Spargelzeit | Spargel History in Germany | Spargelfests ( Spargel Festivals ) | Spargel Tours

 


 

 

This could be part true I believe because necessity is usually the mother of invention and protecting your crop with covers or insulating with earth only seems like a logical solution.

Perhaps the German's love for asparagus is strong because it was once just for royalty. That is why they call it "Das Königsgemüse (the royal vegetable) or " das Weißgold" meaning white gold.

Now they grow they grow the best Weiss Spargel in the world. In Germany maybe imported is cheaper but true lovers pay the price for locally grown, where it is hand picked in the gray of the morning so the tips don't turn green, and as the saying goes, "Picked in the morning and eaten at midday.


The Journey of the Spargel to Germany and Today

before 500 BC: It may have come first from China, but also in Greece and Persia it was like the wild asparagus of today and used for medicinal purposes.

400 BC: Hippocrates mentioned wild asparagus as a medicinal plant in his writings.

around 160 BC: Cato the Roman wrote about how best to farm Asparagus for eating not just medicine. Apicius the Roman food expert made ? The first written recipe for asparagus.
100 B.C.- 350 B.C. The demand for asparagus in the Roman empire exceeded what they could grow. Probably it was grown in Trier in the Rhineland (the oldest city in Germany)

350 B.C. Approximately. With the fall of the Roman Empire asparagus farms died out, and for many years it was forgotten as a vegetable.

at 900: As monasteries were built in Germany the asparagus was back growing but for medicinal purposes.

in 1565: The Royal families in France started to raise asparagus as the Romans did for eating and the idea followed in Germany. The first documented cultivation of asparagus in Germany - in the Lustgarten in Stuttgart.

1750: Start of the "mass production" of asparagus, due to increased knowledge of farming techniques.

1760: "discovery" of keeping asparagus white, through techniques learned from Holland farmers.

1852:
First canned preservation of asparagus in Brunswick, Germany.

in 1985: The "German asparagus museum" opens in Schrobenhausen

Source: "Asparagus, history, cultivation Recipes" by Englert and Wodatz

 

Why does some of the world call it Asparagus and some call it Spargel?

The word comes probably as far back as a Persian word for "shoot"... was "Asparg". The A was dropped in Europe and variations for the word sparge or Spargel became the norm. In England some referred to it as, sparrow- grass. Some felt such a royal vegetable shouldn't be called something so mundane so experts began to refer to it as Asparagus. The Germans kept the name Spargel though.

An illustration of Spargel or Asparagus from Bock's book the illustrated version in
1546. He also wrote a recipe for Spargel in 1539.

Hieronymus Bock

A famous German Botanist, born in Heidersbach, Germany Author of Kraeuterbuch (1539), which is one of the first attempts to classify plants in a systematic manner according to their form.

more about Bock


White Asparagus Techniques

In Holland and Belgium vegetables like celery and Endive were kept from the sun to keep out the chlorophyll production that and produces a milder flavor. Legend has it that a farmer noticed this by plucking a leaf from Endive in his cellar where the plants were stored and the flavor was so mild and nice.

 

Video of a Spargel Farm in Germany

 

17th century Elector Palatine Karl Theodor
Had asparagus planted for food in the Pleasure garden of Stuttgart castle.

 

 

 

 

 

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Spargelzeit | Spargel History in Germany | Spargelfests ( Spargel Festivals ) | Spargel Tours

 

Links and Resources used

Spargelzeit.de

Bella Online

Spargeltreff

Spargelseiten.de

Bock

 

 

Premium Vanilla Beans

Crispy Asparagus Fries
(Spargel Pommes)

Asparagus Steamed with Shrimp and Potatoes
With Fresh Herb Sauce

Asparagus Soup
Spargel Suppe

   

l

 

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Reese White Asparagus  

Gut & Günstig White Asparagus
330g

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

30 Count Foil Pans
By Dobi

I use and reuse these all the time.
They are disposable also, so are good for a heavy baked item.

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