Forget Wimbledon, strawberries and cream: in SouthWest Germany, asparagus is the herald of summer. Gently steamed and served with melting butter, nothing gets taste buds more excited than this regal vegetable.

Asparagus is king for the two-month season that runs from the middle of April to June 24. Outside taverns and restaurants, Spargel on chalkboards signals the arrival of the new crop. Inside, check out the Spargelkarte, the special asparagus menu. At this time of year, locals tuck in to this gourmet treat at least once a day! Try it with salmon or Black Forest ham; join in an all-you-can-eat feast!

Every chef has his or her own recipe. Even the Hairy Bikers, the popular BBC cooks, created a rich creamy asparagus soup on one of their recent gastronomic road trips. Watch the clip: www.bbc.co.uk. As for the veg itself, this is the luscious white variety that never sees the light of day, not the green asparagus that is familiar in other parts of the world.

Nowhere is this “white gold” taken more seriously than in the area around Schwetzingen. It was here that Prince Elector Karl Ludwig started the local love affair with asparagus back in 1650. He planted it in the gardens of his elegant Schwetzingen Palace, where he spent his summer hols. The rich and famous followed suit … and its popularity continues.

Today you can drive the Baden Asparagus Route, the 85-mile/136-km Badische Spargelstrasse, through the pretty Baden countryside. As well as charming small towns and handsome palaces, you pass roadside stands with freshly-picked asparagus. And everywhere, from the plainest Brauhaus to the most elegant restaurant, serves this delicious treat.

Tags: Asparagus, SouthWest Germany, Spring