Carl Nilsson Linnaeus, the distinguished nobleman and Swedish scientist, is credited with giving asparagus its scientific name (Asparagus Officinalis). This name immediately evokes the medicinal and therapeutic qualities of this vegetable, which is related to garlic, leek, and onion. When you think of asparagus, you certainly think it can be only green. However, there’s also a white asparagus.
Green asparagus is the most commonly known, with a more herbaceous and pronounced flavor due to chlorophyll, which gives it its green color. In Northern Italy, however, the most prevalent variety is white asparagus, which is more delicate and “meaty” because it is grown underground and thus lacks chlorophyll.
Additionally, there’s the violet-pink asparagus, a unique variety of white asparagus that partially emerges from the soil, turning purple. This type has a more bitter and fruity flavor. Finally, it is important to distinguish between cultivated asparagus (Asparagus Officinalis) and wild asparagus (Asparagus Acutifolius). Wild asparagus is thornier, crunchier, and has a straighter shoot with a more intense and bitter flavor.
An Accidental Discovery
One of the cities in Italy renowned for its excellent white asparagus is Bassano del Grappa, a small town in the province of Vicenza, in Veneto, best known (as its name suggests) for grappa, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy with an alcohol content ranging from 35 to 60 percent, produced in Italy’s oldest distillery, dating back to 1779. The white asparagus of Bassano is an exceptional product, protected by the European Union with the Protected Designation of Origin label (PDO).
The discovery of white asparagus was seemingly accidental. Around the 1500s, a violent hailstorm damaged the tips of asparagus spears that had emerged from the ground. The farmers harvested what remained underground – the white part – and discovered it was not just good, but very good. From then on, they began harvesting asparagus before it sprouted above ground, leading to the cultivation of what is now a highly prized variety. Today, it is also well-known that the whiter the asparagus, the more highly valued it is.
The harvest of white asparagus, which continues until the end of June, is carried out strictly by hand. The base of each spear is cut with a knife, and the asparagus is then carefully tied into bundles by hand with a willow sucker (known in Italian as “stroppa”), which represents the unmistakable mark of Bassano’s white asparagus.
Nothing is wasted from white asparagus: it is entirely edible, from stem to tip. Its flavor is very delicate and bittersweet, making it particularly suitable for gourmet pairings. Indeed, many internationally renowned chefs are increasingly using it in their unique culinary creations.
Culinary Uses of White Asparagus
In Italy, classic dishes featuring white asparagus include asparagus risotto and asparagus with eggs. This variety of asparagus is also used in other traditional dishes, such as creamy asparagus soup and beef tartare with white asparagus.
To celebrate this delicacy, the White Asparagus Festival of Bassano del Grappa is held every year. Typically held between the last week of April and the first week of May in Cassola, in the province of Vicenza, the festival showcases a variety of culinary specialties centered around, needless to say, white asparagus.
