Spring in Southern Spain
Picking Wild Asparagus is a Great Way to Experience the Countryside.
If you are looking for something a little different to do when in southern Spain, take a trip into the countryside and join in the local pastime of picking wild asparagus
During spring, many areas of countryside in southern Spain will be filled with Spanish out walking in a peculiar manner. They can be seen, eyes to the ground, knife in hand, walking through woods and undergrowth. Their walk will be interspersed with the occasional dive to the floor and grasp at illusive green shoots.
Ask someone to explain this unusual behavior and the answer will be quite simple. They are wild asparagus picking.
Wild asparagus is similar to the cultivated asparagus that we find in stores, other than it is thinner and darker green – oh, and it is very much harder to find. Wild asparagus grows profusely in areas that are difficult to access, in particular under bushes with large thorns. Asparagus itself turns into a thorny plant, and many succulent, tasty looking young shoots can be found nestling away under this - nature’s own version of razor wire.
Spanish families will have their own favored areas for wild asparagus picking, and will return here week after week, year after year. Often the exact location of their favorite area will be a closely guarded secret.
On a weekend, after a busy couple of hours asparagus picking, the bars in country villages will resound to the noise of approving grunts as people come in nonchalantly carrying their spoils. It is quite a competitive activity. “Not bad”, one will say, “Yes, I was only out for 10 minutes” the other will lie.
Any visitor to southern Spain will be welcome to join in the activity, and it is a great way to experience the Spanish interior at its best. In spring the weather is warm, but the countryside is still green and lush – and not singed brown as it will be later in the year. The best places for asparagus are the ancient oak woods or olive groves and in spring these will be alive with wild flowers, so bright they look almost artificial. The woods and groves will alternate between the sound of silence and the sound of birdsong. Occasionally a stork will seemingly float in the air before making an ungainly landing on a high vantage point such as a chimney of an ancient building. It is very easy to get carried away with the joys of a Spanish spring and forget the real purpose of the visit.
Wild asparagus grows throughout southern Spain, and it is a great way to while away a few hours in the Spanish countryside. There are, however a few points to note:
- The countryside in Spain is basically open access – if it isn’t fenced you are free to walk on it. With the proviso of course that you respect farmland – traipsing through the middle of a newly sewn field isn’t going to endear you to a farmer in any country!
- Wear stout walking books and long trousers. This will protect you against any cuts and grazes – and also against the unwanted attention of biting insects who also enjoy life in the countryside.
- Keep an eye on where you are walking – this may sound daft, however walking with your eyes kept firmly on the ground looking for these illusive spikes makes keeping track of direction somewhat difficult - and after a while one olive tree looks much like another.
Oh – and what to do with this asparagus that you’ve picked? A simple, traditional Spanish dish is to break up the spears of asparagus into olive oil with a couple of cloves of garlic and cook until tender, then pop into the pan some freshly beaten eggs and stir until cooked. Serve immediately with fresh bread. This dish doesn’t have a fancy name. Ask the name of this delicacy - “asparagus with eggs” you will be told with a shrug!
For more information about Spain, take a look at the many interesting and informative articles here at Suite101, for instance these articles about Madrid and about the fascinating Easter processions.
