Asparagus 2024

Some people lose control at this time of year.

They are "Asparagustis." They ask friends traveling from the distant Lausitzer Lakeland to bring asparagus from Bergen, as asparagus from Bergen is said to be incredibly delicious and is hard to come by. Walbeck asparagus is also highly regarded here as a super-fine gourmet asparagus. The followers of the white stalk must have both, along with wild asparagus from Croatia. How it makes its way to the kitchen of the Asparagustis doesn't matter. Send a courier. "All asparagus to me" is the daily mantra. Let's invoke an asparagus festival in reverence to Saint George. White, wild, green, and sun-kissed. Peeled, steamed, grilled, as a salad, or au naturel. With pike-perch, rack of lamb or rib-eye. The more unusual the combination, the better. Can the obsessive asparagus fan ever be satisfied? The question shouldn't stump us, yet it does: Which wine? It shouldn't be too dominant so as not to steal the show from the sacred asparagus, and it shouldn't have too much acidity, otherwise, the beloved vegetable will taste bitter. Do you know what's good? The new organic Soave from Pieropan with the silky-sexy screw cap that cracks so nicely when twisted off. We have a backyard-friendly 2023 Grauburgunder from Braunewell standing by. Luc Guénard just sent us an ultra-cool Ventoux organic rosé. And why not red wine with asparagus? Organic Côtes du Rhône Villages from Dupéré-Barrera, slightly chilled, has its place in our green and white striped asparagus tent. Then before you know it, Saint John's Day comes around marking the end the of asparagus season. The frenetic fuss subsides, and everybody goes back to normal.