History

White asparagus is grown under mounded earth to prevent sunlight reaching the spears, keeping them pale and tender. The German season runs from late April to 24 June (St John's Day) when growers traditionally stop cutting to let the plants recover. Cologne's Brauhäuser and Brasserien run full Spargel menus during the window, often pairing the asparagus with butter sauce, new potatoes, and either smoked ham (Schinken) or Wiener schnitzel.

Common allergens: Dairy, Eggs

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg fresh white asparagus, peeled from below the tips
  • Salt for the cooking water
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar (German tradition)
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 tablespoon butter for the water
  • 600g new potatoes, scrubbed
  • 200g good Westphalian or Schwarzwald smoked ham, thinly sliced
  • For hollandaise: 4 egg yolks, 200g unsalted butter melted and hot, juice of half a lemon, salt and white pepper

Method

  1. Peel the white asparagus from just below the tips downwards, twice if the skin is thick. Trim 2cm from the base.
  2. Boil the new potatoes in salted water 18 minutes until tender.
  3. Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle boil with 1 tablespoon salt, the sugar, half a lemon, and 1 tablespoon butter.
  4. Lay the asparagus in flat. Simmer 12 to 14 minutes until tender; a fork should slide in easily. Lift out and drain.
  5. For the hollandaise: whisk the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon water in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water until pale and thickened, 4 minutes. Whisk in the hot melted butter in a thin stream. Finish with lemon juice, salt and white pepper.
  6. Plate the asparagus alongside the new potatoes and slices of smoked ham. Ladle hollandaise generously over the asparagus.
  7. Serve at once with a glass of dry Riesling or Silvaner.

Tip from the editors. White asparagus must be peeled thoroughly; any unpeeled skin turns woody. Buy spears the same day as cooking; the cut ends should be fresh and damp.

Where to eat weißer spargel

Weißer Spargel in Cologne

Brauerei zur Malzmühle ★ 4.3

Kölsch Brauhaus€€altstadtMon-Thu 12:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-00:00; Sun 12:00-23:00

Brauerei zur Malzmühle on Cologne's Heumarkt has brewed Mühlen Kölsch since 1858 and once served Bill Clinton; consistently fresh pours in the Altstadt.

Order: Halve Hahn, the traditional rye roll with aged Gouda, alongside a freshly tapped Mühlen Kölsch

Tip: Monday to Thursday from 14:00, Friday to Sunday from noon. Less tourist-heavy than the Cathedral-adjacent Brauhäuser.

Heumarkt 6, 50667 Köln

maiBeck ★ 4.1

Brunch€€€altstadtSat-Sun 10:00-14:00 (brunch); dinner Tue-Sat from 18:30

maiBeck at Am Frankenturm in Cologne's Altstadt is a Michelin-selected restaurant serving an ambitious weekend brunch alongside the evening tasting programme.

Am Frankenturm 5, 50667 Koln

Nippesser Wochenmarkt ★ 4.8

Market€nippesMon-Fri 07:00-13:00, Sat 07:00-14:30

Nippesser Wochenmarkt at Wilhelmplatz in Cologne's Nippes runs Mon-Fri 07:00-13:00 and Saturday to 14:30; one of the most authentic neighbourhood markets.

Wilhelmplatz, 50737 Koln

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