ASPARAGUS CULTIVATION A PRIME VEGETABLE
Ancient origins
Originally from Asia Minor, the ancient Greeks considered asparagus to be a plant with holy properties and aphrodisiac powers. In the 4th century BC, Hippocrates used it as a medicinal plant to treat stomach complaints and urethral pain.
As fine gourmets, the Romans recommended it as a starter dish and as a vegetable to accompany fish recipes. One of the oldest illustrations of an asparagus bunch can be found on a mural painting in the town of Pompeii.
In the Middle Ages, asparagus production and consumption were largely confined to convents where their medicinal properties were extolled. Asparagus was a source of inspiration for gastronomy in the 16th century, particularly in the royal courts of Europe, and its production was limited to the exclusive needs of the nobility. Known for its delicate, subtle and delicious taste, it gradually found its way on to the menu of the middle class and was widely sold on the markets.
Only green asparagus was cultivated at that time, as it was not covered with soil, so that its stems grew on the surface, seeking exposure to the sun. In 1868, more than 500 hectares were planted in Argenteuil, near Paris, to meet the demand for restaurants in the capital.
In 1869, Pastor Heyler arrived in Hoerdt, bringing with him what would make the village famous many years later…
The different varieties of asparagus
Asparagus has been cultivated for a long time, but it has not changed much over the years. There are only a relatively small number of varieties that differ in terms of the colour of the tip, appearance and size of the shoots, early maturity, flavour and resistance to certain parasitic infections.
There are several varieties of asparagus : Dutch blue, Ulm purple, Paris and Midi green, and Argenteuil white.
Hoerdt asparagus is the result of the crossing of North African asparagus, Erfurt giant asparagus (a fairly old variety with a purple colour, a good size and a strong flavour) and Argenteuil white (a semi-late white variety, with a high yield with turions of excellent quality that are tender, with an attractive appearance and good size). Its special feature is its entirely white and milky stalk, as well as its rectilinear stem.