It is collected before the sunrise. Then one may be sure that their tips will be snow-white. The experts in asparagus claim that then it is the best.

Wielkopolska is the Polish asparagus area. Nearly 80% of the crop comes from the fields near Nowy Tomyśl. One of the greatest experts on asparagus works at the University of Life Sciences in Poznań. Here are written MA and PhD theses on this vegetable. Asparagus from Wielkopolska was recognised not only by Poles. It is also valued by Germans. Every year more than a half of our crop goes to the German market. Our western neighbours appreciate its taste, as well as its price. Our asparagus is several times cheaper than theirs.
The asparagus is said to taste best when it is freshly cooked in slightly salted water and served with butter and breadcrumbs. In order to prepare it in this traditional manner one should visit the Poznań bazaars and markets (we do not recommend asparagus from a supermarket).
The taste and healing properties of the asparagus were already known to the ancient Romans; also the Poznań inhabitants are familiar with them. At the present moment many restaurants in the capital of Wielkopolska serve the asparagus delicacies, as May is the month of asparagus. For this reason the Asparagus Days have been organised for years, for example, in the de Roma restaurant at the Rzymski hotel. In the next few weeks one will be able to taste here the delicacies prepared by the chef.
Every day the menu offers 15 dishes with asparagus. They include hors d’oeuvres, salads and dinner dishes. ‘The asparagus can be prepared in many ways both spicily and sweetly. Although the asparagus lovers appreciate them most when traditionally prepared, that is sprinkled with butter and breadcrumbs,’ claims the chef. In order to accentuate the taste of asparagus, one may cook them in the vegetable stock. Then their characteristic bitterish taste is released.
What is worth attention in the restaurant menu is the salad with leaved celery and melon, and the asparagus cream served with shrimps. The best appearance, on the other hand, have the pouches filled with stewed chanterelles and adorned with white and green asparagus. The asparagus dishes will be served in the de Roma restaurant until 5 June. Then the asparagus season ends.
The asparagus menu can also be found in the restaurant of the Ibis hotel. Here dishes with asparagus will be served from Monday until the end of the month. Tomasz Maćkowiak, the chef of the L'Estaminet restaurant, recommends the asparagus salad with salmon, the asparagus cream, and asparagus with the Béchamel sauce. The main course is served in the traditional manner and is comprised of fried eggs with asparagus and young potatoes.
The asparagus are said to be the most exquisite vegetable of the world. It is also considered to be very expensive. However, in the season its price is not very high. For a bunch of asparagus one has to pay a few złotys. The asparagus has one more advantage: they have little calories and plenty of nutritive values. So one may eat as much asparagus as one wishes without any concerns for one’s figure and health.


Pictures: the Rzymski Hotel