Asparagus, a member of the lily family (which includes onion, garlic, and leek), is believed to be native to the eastern Mediterranean region. It was reputedly cultivated more than two thousand years ago by the Greeks and as early as 200 BC by the Romans.
In ancient days, asparagus was deemed an aphrodisiac and was prized for its alleged medicinal properties. The Greeks and the Romans believed that asparagus could relieve toothaches and prevent bee stings.
Aside from these mythical properties, asparagus is a highly nutritious vegetable. It is a good source of folic acid, vitamins A and C, dietary fiber, potassium, and phosphorous. The succulent stalks are also low in calories and contain no fat or cholesterol.
Asparagus comes in three varieties: green, purple, and white. The white variety is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, particularly countries like France, Germany, and Italy. The stalks are fat and tender, and the taste is milder, more delicate, and slightly nutty and sweet (the sugar content is higher than in green asparagus).
It was the Germans who first introduced the production of white asparagus, or ‘spargel’, in Europe. For over two centuries, they mastered techniques to grow these asparagus plants by shielding them from sunlight (known as etiolation). As the stalks start to emerge, they are covered with a mound of earth to prevent them from getting any light. With the lack of sunlight, the plants are unable to produce chlorophyll; hence, their natural green color is absent.
It grows abundantly around the Baden-Württemberg region in Germany, which is home to leading asparagus producing towns of Schwetzingen, Reilingen, Karlsruhe and Rastatt.
The increasing demand for new types of asparagus these days has led to developments in the production method of white asparagus, according to the Australian Asparagus Council. Some growers in Australia build ‘polyhouses’ (using black plastic sheets) over the crop to ensure that the spears are not exposed to sunlight. This appears to solve the problem of traditional harvesting methods (cutting deep into the mound of soil to extract the spears) as asparagus grown in the black ‘polyhouses’ can be harvested efficiently without damaging developing spears.
Many people enjoy serving asparagus, as it can be easily prepared by using any cooking method – from boiling, steaming, grilling, and roasting, to stir-frying and sautéing. It can also be served as a cold or hot appetizer, side dish, and soup, or tossed in with salads and pastas. Traditionally, the stalks are simply boiled or steamed until tender.
As it has a lean taste, asparagus is often paired with ‘fatty’ ingredients such as hollandaise sauce, butter, and eggs (à la flammande). Some chefs serve them au naturel or with just a drizzling of olive oil and shavings of Parmesan cheese.
Renowned chef Hans Röckenwagner, of Röckenwagner Restaurant in Venice, California, says traditional German foods such as hams, mustards and vinaigrettes also go well with white asparagus. He says white wines made with the Chaslach grape pair best with the mild flavor of white asparagus.
The most important part in the preparation of asparagus is the peeling process: to remove the outer fibrous layer of each spear. The asparagus is then best placed ‘vertically’ in a pot with lightly salted water so that only the lower portions of the stalks are boiled, while the tips are just steamed. This ensures that the firm stalks and delicate tips will cook perfectly at the same time. To make this cooking process easier, chefs often use cylindrical cooking pots with perforated bases. Finally, the stalks are refreshed in iced water to stop the cooking process and to ensure that they are tender yet still firm. 
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