Das Königliche Gemüse  ~ The kingly vegetable

It is Spargel Season in Germany! For 8 weeks, from mid-April (give or take) through June 24 the country goes wild over this vegetable delight. Every corner has a local vendor, every restaurant has a unique menu, and every German only has a few precious weeks to indulge!

Literally, Spargel means asparagus. However, the obsession focuses only on white asparagus, which is sweeter and more tender. This zartes Elfenbein (tender ivory) is grown in large mounds and covered with black tarp until harvest time, which prevents photosynthesis from occurring and ensures that the product remains colorless. If allowed to photosynthesize, flower, and continue growing, the Spargel will turn green, and ultimately lose its magic, and perhaps the love of millions of people.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that the country loses its mind for the Frühlingswonne (springtime delight). There are festivals, bicycle tours, contests, beauty pageants, and every conceivable concoction of culinary combination. So, this being our first Spring in Germany, we joined the masses and caught “Spargel Fever”!

Spargel Fest – The rain washed away most of Spargel Fest and we went home empty handed. Hoping for better luck next time!

Spargel Harvest – I really didn’t know what to expect with this adventure, since all I was going on was a one-sentence description from the Internet and a few e-mail exchanges with the city tourist office. The German verb for “to harvest” wasn’t even part of the description, so I was just assuming that was what we were going to do. I mean, what else is there to do?

When we arrived, we were given gloves, a basket, some tools, and a 2-minute lesson on how to harvest the Weißgold (white gold). Then, we were left to do the work and take home whatever spoils we could uncover!

The local TV station was also there, and Joe made his pubic debut in German!

Joe's 8 seconds of fame

Even the Spargel Queen had her moment in the spotlight.

the Spargel Königin

The harvesting crowd was quite diverse. In addition to the Spargel Queen, and the tourists (us), there were plenty of children, and a few women who needed a lesson in how to dress for field work. There was a particular lady who was wearing a dress so short, that the entire world saw her skivvies while she was harvesting. No joke. These weren’t even like the cute bloomers that cheerleaders wear because they know everyone will see under their skirts. These were straight-up, mom panties! Her kids were even there to prove it.

I'm sorry. It was hard to resist.

Spargel Schnapps

Spargel Cooking Class – After a half-hour lecture auf Deutsch on the history, quality levels, nutritional value, and some other topics I obviously didn’t have the vocabulary for about Spargel, we headed into the kitchen! Since this was the first cooking class that the three of us had ever taken, we were totally unprepared. Everyone stepped into their respective cooking stations and took out their aprons and personal hand towels…except us!

Joe was the Chief Translator, mom the Chief Chopper, and I only washed my attempt at salad dressing down the sink once. At the end of class, we compiled the 7 different recipes (including Spargel Spaghetti, Sesame Seed-Teryaki Spargel, Baked Spargel, and Strawberry Spargel Salad) and enjoyed our feast.

Next year, if we are going to get this involved in Spargel, I am going to invest in some nose plugs!

Mom and I started our visit with a tour from the Night Watchman, who walked the city streets during the end of the 19^th century, warning residents of fire, keeping the streets free of hoodlums, and addressing any issues with his Hellebarde (Hell Bar)!!

The Night Watchman and his Hell Bar

From the 14^th to 17^th Centuries, Rothenburg o.d.T. was quite a wealthy city, being located at a critical cross-road for merchants between Sweden and Rome and along the Tauber River. The city was virtually impenetrable and was not seized until 1631, during the Thirty Years War. In 1634 the city was hit by the Black Plague and 40% of the population died. The remaining years of the Thirty Years War drove the residents of Rothenburg into despair, with no money, power, or hope for the future.

It was this despair, and poverty, that prevented the residents of Rothenburg from updating and modernizing their town. On top of the old wall is a walking path that allows you to have a bird-eye view of the town.

On top of the Wall

Rothenburg was untouched until the 1880s, when European artists discovered it and turned it into a popular destination for tourism. For 60 years, Rothenburg enjoyed the benefits of tourism and re-built itself, while its medieval charm remained intact.

In March of 1945 the town was bombed by Allies, which destroyed about 2,000 feet of the city’s fortifications. A US General, whose mother had spent time in Rothenburg and told stories of its beauty, decided to strike a deal with the German troops: allow the Allies to use this town as a base for continued resistance and they would cease all bombing. Hilter had delivered clear orders that every German town, including Rothenburg, should be defended until the end. However, the high command was not in town that day, and the German commander left in charge ignored the orders of Hitler. The deal with Allied troops was made, even though the German officer knew it would mean his own death. Altruistic foresight and the ramblings of a smitten mother saved this post-card town!

Shame Mask

What medieval town would be complete without a Medieval Criminal Museum? My favorites were the “Shame Masks”, which were suited to the crime and a tool for public humiliation of the accused. This one was to be worn when someone had “acted like a pig.” Sounds pretty subjective if you ask me!

Finally, we ended our trip with a Rothenburg specialty – round cookie balls covered with a variety of sweet toppings. Unfortunately, Schneeballen look a lot better than they taste.

Schneeballen