TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best European Stalk Vegetable Types
This asparagus is grown in Germany's Strobenhausen region. There are two types of this aromatic vegetable – green and white, which may vary in color from white to violet. The farming of asparagus in Schrobenhausen was first mentioned in documents dating back to 1851.
The light sandy soil prevalent in this region is what makes this asparagus particularly tender, giving it a distinctive strong and nutty flavor. The long tradition of asparagus cultivation in the Schrobenhausen region and the expertise of the farmers who have been growing it for generations guarantee its excellent quality and great taste.
From early May until the summer solstice, the asparagus season in Abensberg attracts thousands of gourmets and other gastronomic visitors. During the season, when the farmers open their taverns, Abensberger asparagus are served everywhere along the Danube and Altmühl.
The slight bitterness of this asparagus is complemented by its delicate sweetness. The designated cultivation area of this variety of asparagus is among the oldest in Europe; the first mention of the 'sand belt' zone in Abensberg dates back to 1730.
Beelitzer Spargel is a variety of very thick asparagus grown in the Beelitzer Sander and parts of the Teltow-Fläming rural district in Germany. This seasonal vegetable has a long tradition - in 1861, Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Hermann became the first person to plant whole fields of asparagus in Beelitz.
There are two types - white, grown in complete sun deprivation, and the green ones, which are ripened in the sun. During the season, Beelitzer Spargel is the leading star of local cuisine, and the annual asparagus festival is a beloved tourist attraction.
Brabantse Wal asparagus is unique for its flavor, which differs significantly from other asparagus varieties. It is white colored and slightly salty because its flavor is influenced by pure groundwater and the salty sea air. The perfect accompaniment for Brabantse Wal asparagus are white wines, fish such as cod or shrimp, or smoked chicken.
Settled just east of Vienna, between the Danube river and its left tributary Morava, Marchfeld is the largest valley in Lower Austria and offers ideal conditions for growing the prized Marchfeldasparagus. Cultivated since the 1800s and distinguished by a particularly delicate flavor, the Marchfeldspargel is not very bitter and has a reputation of an exceptional delicacy.
Apart from the fertile sandy soils, what gives the Marchfeld asparagus its incomparable flavor is an annual average of more than 2,200 hours of sunshine. Such mild climate is suitable for growing a number of different asparagus varieties, including Ruhm von Braunschweig, Aneto, Carlim, Desto, Venlim and Mary Washington.
The production of this variety of asparagus, from growing to picking, must take place in a defined geographical area in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia along the Dutch-German border. The region's sandy soils were once considered by local farmers to be a major disadvantage, but when Major Walther Klein-Walbeck first attempted to grow asparagus around Walbeck castle in 1923, they quickly changed their minds – the local climate turned out to be ideal for growing asparagus.
Since almost 70% of the asparagus’s taste is determined by the soil, it is obvious that the fine fiber structure, nutty and intensive taste, tenderness, and straight growth are the result of the ideal local conditions.
Espárrago de Navarra is a white asparagus grown in the regions of Navarre, Rioja, and Aragon. It can be sold fresh or canned, whole or cut. This asparagus has a thick white stalk that is tender and crunchy. The taste of Espárrago de Navarra is mellow and buttery with little or no bitter aftertaste.
It is grown in the area known as 'valle medio del Ebro', which consists of 263 municipalities in Navarre, Rioja, and Aragon. Espárrago de Navarra is a seasonal product and is only harvested from March to June. Nutritionally, the asparagus have low fat and carbohydrate content and are rich in vitamins B and E.
Fenland celery is a vegatable belonging to the Apium graveolens species, using traditional methods of growing and harvesting by hand in the area of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. It is white to green in color, with a brittle, crisp, crunchy and tender structure.
Its unique flavor is rich, nutty and sweet / salty / bitter in equal parts, with mild aniseed overtones. Because of the special growing technique, more of the root is allowed to be kept which is a specially flavorsome part of the celery. Fenland celery is available only from October to December and goes well in salads, soups, with tuna steak, or used in refreshing beverages.
Cardo, or gobbo della Val di Cornia is a variety of a cardoon, a slightly less known variety of vegetables that are widely used in local cuisine. They are usually planted at the beginning of August in order to be harvested between October and December.
With its green leaves, cardo looks similar to celery stalks; the edible parts of the plant tends to get white, while the flavor is slightly reminiscent of artichokes. Cardo from Val di Cornia can be enjoyed in so many ways: pickled, puréed into savory spreads, simply breaded and fried in olive oil, covered in besciamella and baked in an oven, or topped with a generous layer of breadcrumbs and grated Parmigiano cheese.
Ever since the 13th century, the green asparagus of Altedo has been cultivated in the provinces of Ferrara and Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region, where it thrives in the typical humid, foggy climate of the lower Po River valley. It has a tender and delicate flavor and is traditionally used for the preparation of many local dishes.
Ideally, in order to preserve its nutritional qualities, Asparago Verde di Altedo should be steam cooked. This versatile vegetable is equally enjoyed in contemporary cuisine as asparagus soufflé with prawn sauce or asparagus and coconut milk soup as well as in various traditional minestrones, risottos and frittatas.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.