IT’S ASPARAGUS SEASON!
Dear Taste Club Member,
It may traditionally be known as the ‘hunger gap’ in farming terms, but April is actually one of the seasons we look forward to most at Warner’s. It’s when we see local produce start to trickle in, filling our entrance with new-season earthly delights - dinky new potatoes, the first flush of English strawberries and, of course, our world-renowned Wye Valley asparagus.
St George’s Day (23 April) marks the beginning of asparagus season but, depending on the weather, it can be even earlier. Not that we’re complaining - with only a short 6 weeks growing period, the sooner we can tuck in to this long-awaited local delicacy, the better!
While we love the taste of our freshly-picked, locally-grown Wye Valley asparagus on its own, you can up the ante with the help of a few favourite friends:
Cacklebean Eggs - poached, fried or scrambled, asparagus and eggs are made for each other. And these beauties from Stow-on-the-Wold are simply the best - the now famous Arlington White eggs have a white shell and a deep golden yolk and are loved by chefs around the country. Did we say they also come in the most delightful egg box…
Cotswold Gold Hollandaise Sauce - steaming hot asparagus dipped in smooth and creamy Hollandaise sauce - it’s a classic combo for a reason. This one contains Cotswold Gold cold-pressed rapeseed oil giving it a more mellow flavour that’s perfect if you don’t want to overpower the delicate ‘green gras’ or the richness of a Cacklebean eggs Benedict.
Deer Park Wine - asparagus with eggs makes a delightful spring lunch which can be amplified with a glass of local white wine. Choosing a local white accentuates the green grass notes of fresh asparagus perfectly - Deer Park Special Reserve has all the right ingredients - tropical fruit with bursts of melon and grapefruit and an underlying minerality.