Asparagus Harvesting in Green Istria

Asparagus is one of the most respected naturally found plants that grow in ​​Istria. Its tiny dark green shoots spring in the gentle Istrian meadows and hills, announcing the awakening of nature and bringing fresh tastes to Istrian cuisine.    

How to pick asparagus?  
When picking asparagus, go to the wider coastal belt of Istria, from mid-March to late April. Along the way, enjoy the nature that is beginning to blossom.

Asparagus often grows with prickly shrubs, so be careful when picking. It is not easy to spot, because it is much thinner than its white cultivated cousins are. Istrian wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L) cannot be cultivated, so it is precious and its picking is a small gastronomic adventure.  

By picking naturally found plants and preparing them in the kitchen, modern people return to nature, remembering the ancient ancestors to whom this plant was almost the only source of food.    

Taste Istrian delicacies with asparagus  
The tart and bitter taste of asparagus perfectly blends with a delicious, full-bodied taste of eggs, and thus the most famous asparagus dish in Istria is the legendary traditional Istrian scrambled eggs fritaja. Be sure to taste it in one of the taverns or prepare it yourselves, with the asparagus you have just picked.

The recipe is simple - simmer the asparagus tips in olive oil until they soften, and then add scrambled eggs, salt and pepper.

Asparagus has, since time immemorial, been a part of Istrian folk cuisine, but it still creatively inspires young culinary stars of contemporary Istrian restaurants. So on the menus all over Istria you can find cuttlefish with asparagus, cannelloni with asparagus and asparagus pâté.

Asparagus is a nutritionally rich food that has long been considered an aphrodisiac because of its high vitamin E content, often referred to as the fertility vitamin.