Asparagus rage

Post by **faceless** » Tue May 19, 2009 3:10 pm

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Overpriced veg causes anger
Tuesday, May 19, 2009[/align]
German police are searching for a motorist who beat a 24-year-old woman selling white asparagus because he was upset about her asking price for the coveted springtime vegetable, police said Monday. The prices for white asparagus, sometimes called "edible ivory" in Germany, fluctuate wildly during the short springtime season, peaking early in the season at 10 euros per kilo.

The man screamed at the woman that her asparagus was overpriced. He then punched her in the face and threatened to unleash his attack dog at her. She fled and called police. "The motorist said her prices were totally over the top," said Dietmar Keck, police spokesman in the Havelland district west of Berlin, without saying how much she was asking.

Prices for asparagus now range from 1 to 5 euros per kilo, he said. Some 55,000 tons valued at 175 million euros (£154 million) are harvested annually.

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She was clearly asking for it!

SpursFan1902 · Post by **SpursFan1902** » Tue May 19, 2009 3:43 pm

How dare she try to make a profit?? What is wrong with her. Seriously, though, I have seen the madness for myself. Germans are crazy for white asparagus and it can get pretty pricey. It is really good, but not good enough to punch someone ...

Post by **faceless** » Tue May 19, 2009 3:48 pm

"The man screamed at the woman that her asparagus was overpriced" - it sounds like a story from Roger Irrelevant in Viz...

Brown Sauce · Post by **Brown Sauce** » Tue May 19, 2009 6:18 pm

they go a tad daft here when "spargel" season is upon us. Ol' rope is what I call it, though my wife reveres it as the afore mentioned ivory.

There is one farm not too far away from here - we are about an hours drive from "Spargel Land" - that employs 1,500 workers ..

I deliver me maggots to the area on Fridays ...

Post by **Skylace** » Tue May 19, 2009 8:03 pm

My oma and great-oma used to work on white asparagus farms after WWII. They made some good money. It's not easy to grow it, which is one reason it is so expensive and also the Germans take it very seriously.

As I spent a good chunk of my formative years in Germany I was confused moving to the States to find that it was green as well as white.

SpursFan1902 · Post by **SpursFan1902** » Wed May 20, 2009 3:35 am

My Dad used to call asparagus "spargel grass" when we were kids. Now I know where he got it from (my paternal grandmother was Austrian).

Post by **eefanincan** » Sun May 24, 2009 9:16 pm

I've never seen white asaparagus here.... is it as strong as the green? I don't really like the green stuff but would give the white a try if it wasn't as strong.

I can't tell you how many calls I used to get on the health line from people who'd eat asaparagus then freak out because their urine smelled bad!

Post by **Skylace** » Sun May 24, 2009 10:22 pm

I wouldn't say it's a strong. The taste is similar. It's "fresher" tasting if that makes any sense.

SpursFan1902 · Post by **SpursFan1902** » Mon May 25, 2009 3:59 am

I love it! Fresher is really the best description of the difference in taste.

pirtybirdy · Post by **pirtybirdy** » Mon May 25, 2009 1:17 pm

My husband makes asparagus soup with the white asparagus. that was the first time I had ever seen it. Actually, the white asparagus seemed more available to get than the green where we were in Denmark.

Post by **Skylace** » Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 pm

SpursFan1902 wrote:I love it! Fresher is really the best description of the difference in taste.

I am glad that you understand me Spurs! I was writing that and thinking "does that make any sense" You complete me

Post by **Skylace** » Mon May 25, 2009 6:53 pm

pirtybirdy wrote:My husband makes asparagus soup with the white asparagus. that was the first time I had ever seen it. Actually, the white asparagus seemed more available to get than the green where we were in Denmark.

It's the same way in Germany. I honestly never saw green asparagus when I lived there and my mother told me growing up she only saw it a few times. She was surprised when she moved to the States and saw there was more green then white.

Marrow · Post by **Marrow** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:30 am

Whites no harder to grow then green asparagus, just a bit more labour. If you already have some green in your garden, simply put a pot over it as soon as you see even a trace of its tip. As long as it gets no light it wont develop any green ( chlorophyll) .

Post by **faceless** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:41 am

So basically the white stuff is battery asparagus? Starved of light and sustinence it puts all its energy into getting to the light that simply doesn't exist?

I've never felt sorry for a plant before!

Post by **Skylace** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:51 am

Marrow wrote:Whites no harder to grow then green asparagus, just a bit more labour. If you already have some green in your garden, simply put a pot over it as soon as you see even a trace of its tip. As long as it gets no light it wont develop any green ( chlorophyll) .

A bit more labor makes it harder. It still grows but it's not going to be as easy because you have to keep checking it. Hence the reason it's more expensive.

You're right face, it's white because it's not been allowed to produce chlorophyll due to the lack of sunlight.