Having received my first box a few weeks ago, I can officially declare that white asparagus season is upon us. While unfortunately delicate when raw, white asparagus is undoubtedly worthy of the praise heaped upon it by Europeans across the globe.

Food Nerd Stuff
White asparagus is essentially green asparagus that’s been deprived of sunlight its entire life. No sun means no light, which means no chlorophyll and no Kermit coloring, though all of that leads us to delicious goodness. Keeping the crop covered at all moments and the process of harvesting and cooling the stalks (to prevent fibrousness) is extremely time and labor consuming, so we are fortunate that China is one of the largest producers of white asparagus in the world. It’s generally more expensive than its green counterparts, but at your local wet market, white asparagus still comes cheap compared to international standards.

It Tastes Like...
Good white asparagus has a flavor that’s honestly not that easy to describe–it’s certainly not like its green cousins. I personally find it closer in flavor to salsify and really young artichoke hearts; it has a certain vegetal creaminess. Yes, that’s a weird term, but if you know white asparagus you know exactly what I’m talking about. And in my very humble opinion, white asparagus is best prepared simply. Egg and dairy-based sauces are favorites, the simplest combination being cooked and chilled white asparagus with a tangy herb mayo. But you can’t really go wrong with a good Hollandaise or butter sauce.

Cooking it at Home
For cooks at home, here are a couple of notes. First, buy good white asparagus. It doesn’t store well, so buy from someone who sells a lot of it, like your favorite wet market guy or FIELDS. It should look tight and be all white up to the tips. It’s extremely brittle, so handle carefully and peel delicately. Then blanch it in a good amount of salted water; feel free to add some extras for added flavor. Some chefs swear by a bit of bread, others add sugar, butter, and/or lemon juice. Cook until done and serve–this can take up to 20 minutes since white asparagus is generally served cooked all the way through.

Try One of These Restaurants
Too lazy to do it at home? Fret not, as there is white asparagus aplenty all over town. Hyatt on The Bund’s Vue Restaurant are hosting springtime specials in honor of this royal food, as are the Paulaners around town. I currently have some tucked under my pan-roasted chicken, sitting in a sauce of brown butter and gremolata. Really though, do the right thing: get a bunch of friends together, buy a heap of the stuff and cook it right at home. Make a night of it and enjoy.