British asparagus is the best in the world. This remarkable plant develops excellent flavour in our temperate and humid climate. But it will only grow in warm temperatures – hence it’s relatively short season, which formally starts this week on St George’s Day, April 23rd.
Key Facts
Asparagus has been commercially grown in Britain since the 17th Century. Back then, one of the key areas of production around London was a village called Battersea. Their crop was sold in ‘Battersea Bundles’.
But in recent years asparagus has become available all year round, imported by air from countries such as Peru and Mexico.
In these climates, asparagus is produced 360 days per year and grows fast in the heat. For chefs and caterers, it is worth noting that there is a strong environmental benefit to buying British as this reduces air miles, CO2 emissions and water use. In terms of flavour, British asparagus is also much faster from the field to table – which means sugar content is kept high.
The asparagus plant thrives in sandy soils. It is a perennial plant, with a commercial life of around 10 years. Growers do not harvest the plant for the first couple of years to build up its large root system and energy for the plant, which is needed to fire up the thick spears that we harvest.
In recent years, purple varieties of asparagus have become popular and are grown commercially in Britain. One grower, the Chinn family in the Wye Valley, also grow white asparagus, a crop popular on the Continent. This is produced by earthing up the plant so that the spears grow into the soil and receive no sunlight.
The asparagus season traditionally lasts until late June, but these days you will also find later crops as enterprising growers stretch the season. These tend to be more expensive.
Uses in the Kitchen
Simple is always best with asparagus. A plate of lightly steamed or boiled spears is a classy dish on any menu, perhaps served with melted butter, a squeeze of lemon, aioli or hollandaise sauce. Roasting the spears also works a treat: toss in olive oil and sea salt then roast fast in a hot oven. Stir frying has a similar effect, caramelising the sugars in the spears with the high heat.
Super fresh asparagus can also be eaten raw. Try shaving it into ribbons for a stylish salad. This technique works especially well with purple asparagus, which is more tender and sweet.
On the Market, we can also often source boxes of lower grade asparagus at a reasonable price. These smaller spears still have terrific flavour and are ideal for soups.
