6 weeks of white gold coming up! The white gold, the nickname for asparagus, is now available at Papillon Restaurant in The Village, across from the Radisson Resort. This delicious vegetable has a pearly white color when it is dug up from the soil; its stalks are thick at the bottom, tapering to a lovely yellow at the top. But it is not its exterior that makes the asparagus into a favorite: its exquisite, elegant taste is truly irresistible. The masterful touch of Papillon’s chef Bas Kuurstra will reveal its potential and amazing taste. Time to book a table and go for the gold!
The asparagus is served in a variety of options, starting with a paté, asparagus and truffle croutons and a red fruit coulis, a creamy asparagus soup, asperges à la Flamende, à la Hollande or in a fresh fish combination such as paired with a corvine, a mahi mahi filet or with salmon. Asperges à la Flamande is the classic Flemish way when the vegetable is served with chopped egg, nutmeg, melted butter and parsley. The Dutch way is with a Hollandaise sauce and new potatoes.
The boxes containing the white gold are flown in from Holland by Deli Caribbean each Thursday; the asparagus season runs from the second Thursday in April until St. John’s, June 24. The stalks only grow in a temperature of 12 degrees Centigrade and 8 to 10 harvests per plant are common.
Eating asparagus is not something new-fangled: the Greek, the Romans and the Chinese already described the vegetable as a `healing herb’. The asparagus is said to help heal low blood pressure, kidney problems as well as heart and liver problems. On an even more positive note, it is also said to be an aphrodisiac, a diuretic, and a sure way to lose weight, as the stalks contain almost no calories, but loads of vitamins and nutrients.
We can give you a bit of advice here too: don’t wait too long to come to Papillon Restaurant: the white asparagus is a seasonal vegetable, in demand by connoisseurs and gourmands. A changing menu will keep you coming back for more! This is a limited time opportunity! For reservations click here.
