Light Meals and Weekend Treats from an English Woman in Berlin
I have made no secret of my love for asparagus, especially the delicate white kind that is popular here in Germany. It symbolises the true start of spring and finally the end of those deep, dark winters. Since moving to Berlin (many, many years ago) I have grown to love living in a country that has proper seasons. While I am not exactly in a mediterranean environment where of course Berlin can suffer from some rainy weeks in the summer or spring seems to suffer…
I have made no secret of my love for asparagus, especially the white kind that is hugely popular in Germany. The other week I picked up my first lot of asparagus of the season and made a simple but delicious White Asparagus with Cured Ham and a Chive Sauce. The smokey ham goes so well with the delicate white asparagus and the chive sauce has plenty of fresh lemon juice to add that almost sour kick to the dish. I like to plain boil my white asparagus with a pinch of salt…
It’s here – Spargelzeit! Germany’s obsession with asparagus season, and especially the white kind never fails to amuse me! And I love it! This weekend I popped into my local Galeria Kaufhof and there it was – a Beelitzer asparagus pop-up stand! Beelitzer grown asparagus is local to Berlin and something that Berliner’s take great pride in. This is the BMW of asparagus, not your imported Spanish kind but local, home grown and claimed to be the best and most delicious! …
Ah, Spargelzeit – my favourite time of the year! I have always been fond of Germany’s passion for all things seasonal and the fact that you can only find some produce when in season. Every year I am happy to see asparagus in the supermarkets and at local markets not just because it offically puts an end to the long, cold winter but it is the start of spring and the weather is warming up.
It is the white asparagus that they go crazy for over here in Germany….