These extraordinarily thick white asparagus spears are so soft and buttery you can literally cut them with your fork. In Spain they serve them well chilled with a dollop of mayonnaise, but they can also be served as a special addition to salads.
King Juan Carlos once sampled these extra thick beauties from El Navarrico and exclaimed 'Cojonudos!’ which is slightly off-color slang for terrific! And wine critic Robert Parker said "a delicacy of the world are white asparagus- the best from Navarra in Spain, and Les Landes (Bordeaux)...La Tienda, the online Spanish food purveyor has them preserved in cans (normally I hate canned food), but these are superb."
In early spring, green spears of an asparagus fern emerge into the sunlight and are harvested. For white asparagus, before the spears first emerge, the farmers cover the with mounds of soil. Because they never see the sun, they stay pale white and tender.
El Navarrico only harvests near their facility in Navarra, where the spears are peeled and cooked within hours. Because they are so fresh, they are packed in only water and salt, with no preservatives.
El Navarrico is one of the few artisan vendors in Spain that follow the traditional way. Most producers outsource asparagus to China, since artisan production is so labor intensive and non-industrial.
White asparagus from Navarra is so revered in Spain that it has its own D.O. (a protected Denomination of Origin), which guarantees its quality and authenticity. Our friends at Navarrico grow the “Cojonudo” white asparagus spears in such limited quantity, that some years we buy the entire harvest to make sure we have enough.
