The tasty vegetable lands on our plates again just in time for the start of spring. Whether green or white asparagus, the variety is huge and the regional farmers are finally offering fresh asparagus from home again. In this article we reveal the differences between white and green asparagus.
Some key data on asparagus
With the onset of spring, the asparagus season also beckons. In Switzerland, it starts at the end of April/beginning of May and lasts until St. John’s Day, 23 June, which is traditionally the last day of the asparagus harvest.
Asparagus belongs to the so-called liliaceae family and has an intense flavour of its own. We distinguish between white asparagus, also called pale asparagus, and green asparagus, as well as the rather rare violet asparagus.
Why are some asparagus green?
Although we are all familiar with white and green asparagus, we often have a misconception about the different colours. They are not different varieties, as most of us assume. Only the type of cultivation determines the white and green colour.
Thus, white asparagus grows underground and is harvested as soon as the “head” sees the light. This keeps them “pale”. Green asparagus, on the other hand, grow in the sun and get their characteristic green and intense colour thanks to sunlight and photosynthesis.
Of course, these different types of cultivation also have an effect on the taste. But which asparagus tastes better is something each person must decide for themselves.
What do you think?