The British love affair with asparagus dates back hundreds of years, and it is also said to be a powerful aphrodisiac.
In 19th-century France, bridegrooms were served three courses of the spears at their prenuptial dinner.
Asparagus ‘stirs up lust in man and woman’,
wrote English herbalist Nicholas Culpepper
in the 17th century.
Asparagus is a good source of potassium, fibre, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, thiamin and folic acid. The latter is said to boost histamine production which has an aphrodisiac effect on both men and women.
Asparagus is a member of the lily family. Under ideal conditions, it can grow an astonishing 10 inches in a 24 hour period.
The Romans brought it to England and by the 16th century all the royal courts were mad for it. By the 17th century, asparagus was being grown commercially and one of the main areas it was grown in was Battersea in London. They called it Battersea Bundles!
Try these two asparagus recipes this week:
Asparagus Risotto
Recipe taken from Dairy Diary.
Recipe taken from Year Round Round Dairy Cookbook.
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