A Visit to a White Asparagus Harvest
Now I understand why this vegetable costs so much.
I’ve learned a lot of general information about white asparagus over the years. Working for an importer of gourmet foods from Spain (Despaña), it has always been a key product in our catalog. I’ve had to articulate the main selling points to show our retail and wholesale clients why it’s considered such a luxury: it’s only harvested during a short two-month window, all done by hand, picked for size and uniformity, etc etc. The reality is, it’s expensive — at least when you line it up next to other premium jarred vegetables. But I was never entirely sure the product I was talking about actually deserved its high price tag.
Until I went to see the harvest for myself.
I had the opportunity to travel to Navarra, Spain, home to the harvest, to create a video about it for Bon Appétit. The harvesting takes place at night. As far as I know, it’s one of the only vegetables handled this way. If the white asparagus is exposed to any sunlight during cultivation, it starts to turn green and changes character. Made up of nearly 95% water, it’s a truly delicate and unique vegetable.
The season runs from April to June — a small window when the spring soil in Navarra is soft enough. A crew of workers employed by La Catedral, the brand I was visiting, comes back each season to do this work.
At midnight, I arrived at a barn full of men and women on their snack/smoke break. I wasn’t sure how they’d feel about me interrupting their night with my little phone videos, but they were nothing but welcoming. I think they were excited to showcase their craft to someone new.
They grabbed their baskets and headed into the fields. I followed each of them down the rows as they pulled individual asparagus spears from the soil by hand. With mesmerizing speed, they darted meters down each row, launching dozens upon dozens of white asparagus into their baskets.
It was surprisingly moving to witness. It really helped me understand why this product is so special.
The next morning, I visited La Catedral’s factory. All of the asparagus harvested the night before had arrived for production. It’s cleaned and sorted by hand for size and quality before being jarred. Think Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory — but for white asparagus.
The whole process is a labor of love. Everyone involved is an expert in cultivating and caring for the product. The result is a special product that beautifully represents the gastronomic heritage of the region.
I visited a restaurant in the area that was preparing a menu featuring all the vegetable specialties harvested by La Catedral. Check it out if you’re in Navarra:
For that batch of you that are paid subscribers, I’ve got something cooked up for you below. Hopefully it helps you enjoy these white asparagus one day soon 👇