The period for asparagus is from March to June. The plants grow in dry, sandy and well-drained soil.
Asparagus is either green – if the shoots have been exposed to the sun - white with slightly pink tips, or purple – depending on the variety.
A huge amount of manual labour is involved in the cultivation of asparagus, something which explains its high price. Happily co-existing alongside this noble plant, typical of haute cuisine, however, is the traditional cultivation of the ‘fake asparagus’: in other words all the wild botanical species with an intense flavour which can substitute asparagus. In this case the only expense would be a pair of good walking shoes and a bit of patience when searching - or the assistance of an excellent gardener.
The asparagus is of Asian origin and its cultivation was already documented in the Veneto region in the 16th century. The Swedish botanist Linnaeus was the first to classify the asparagus as Asparagus officinalis and he studied its medicinal, diuretic and cleansing properties. The plant contains vitamin C, carotenoids, mineral salts, tannins, asparagine and arginine: substances which make it valuable in the treatment of oedema and kidney stones.
Italians do not eat large quantities of asparagus despite different varieties being cultivated in almost every region of Italy, and two species having gained Protected Geographical Indication or PGI – these being the Cimadolmo White asparagus (from Treviso) and the Altedo Green asparagus (from Bologna).
The Veneto region is justly famous for both its green and its white asparagus. The Cimadolmo White PGI asparagus is cultivated in a strictly regulated area including a number of villages on the left bank of the Piave river. The area, which was once prone to frequent flooding from the over-flowing river, is well-drained and fertile because of the mud and has a humid climate that guarantees rapid growth.
The Cimadolmo variety is completely white, without any hint of green even on the tips: it is tender and not at all fibrous. It is sold in identical bunches weighing a maximum of 3 kilos each.
In Arcole, a town in the Verona province, the asparagus competes for land with other esteemed crops like the radicchio (or red chicory) and vines. At a place called Rivoli, again in the Verona province, mainly known for the famous battle in 1879 where Napoleon’s troops defeated the Austrians, a delicate variety of white asparagus is cultivated, which is thinner than its other cousins from the same province. The production is so limited that it is almost impossible to find it for sale; in order to try it you have to go to one of the local restaurants or buy directly from the producer. It has been claimed that the cultivation of the Rivoli variety began in Bonaparte’s time, but there is no proof. Curiously, both of the home-towns of asparagus varieties from the Verona province were scenes of battles for the General.
In Bibione, a delightful seaside town in the Venice province, the asparagus competes for fame with the lively tourist industry, whilst in the area around Vicenza the asparagus from Bassano is the most famous. This is an early crop which is gathered in April and May, when the shoots still haven’t grown enough to break through the earth’s surface. They are recognizable by their white, slightly pinky, colour and a tenderness which means that there is almost no waste. The first authoritative testaments as to their excellence can be found in the Venetian accounts of 1534 where it is claimed that they were purchased for the kitchens of the Doge of Venice. Gourmets eat them boiled accompanied by “Bassanese eggs”, which are boiled eggs crushed with a fork and dressed with a vinaigrette.
The Altedo Green PGI asparagus, on the other hand, has a more recent history. In 1923 a few farmers from Altedo went to Nantes in France and returned with precise details on how to grow asparagus. After experimenting for a few years they started intensive cultivation of the vegetable and this spread throughout the area around Bologna - especially after the end of the Second World War. The small plants are placed into the earth which has been dug over to a depth of 60cm. The harvest takes place two years later and can last from 15 to 65 days according to age, but whatever the case it cannot continue after 20th June.
To conclude, then, here is information about some of the numerous wild varieties which can substitute asparagus or which compete for supremacy in the kitchen.
Asparagus acutifolius, or wild asparagus, grows in wooded areas near to water and flowers in April and May. The herbaceous plant is between 40 and 150 cm high, but for cooking purposes the plants are picked when the shoots are still tender. It is excellent in risottos and with eggs.
Ruscus aculeatus, (butcher’s broom) is an ever-green plant with large, creeping rhizomes, small leaves and membranous scales. It is harvested both for eating and for its pharmaceutical properties. The butcher’s broom, besides having a pleasant taste as an accompaniment to a good risotto, also has diuretic, diaphoretic and vasoconstrictor properties. In the Veneto region it is also used to flavour grappa.
Tamus communis (black bryony – ranked as a poison in the UK as it is a dangerous irritant) grows like asparagus in wooded places, often wrapping itself around other plants. The plant is very similar to butcher’s broom both for its use in cooking and for the active ingredients.
Just the shoots of the Humulus lupulus (golden hops) which commonly grow in hedgerows are used. Once they have been blanched they are mainly used in omelettes, savoury tarts and risottos.
Finally, the Clematis vitalba, (old man’s beard) is a ranunculacea which is easily recognizable thanks to the thin stalk and leaves which vaguely resemble vine leaves. Soups and risottos cannot be prepared from all of the plant as it contains irritants. Only the shoots are used for cooking and these can be replaced by asparagus.
