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Asparagus derived its name from the ancient Greeks, who
used the word to refer to all tender shoots picked and savored while very
young. Asparagus is a member of the
Lily family. Widely cultivated for its tender, succulent, edible
shoots, asparagus cultivation began more than 2,000 years ago in the
eastern Mediterranean region. Greeks and Romans prized asparagus for
its unique flavor, texture and alleged medicinal qualities. They ate
it fresh when in season and dried the vegetable for use in winter. Early American Indians dried asparagus for use later or to make medicine. In the dry, arid lands it is especially useful as a natural diuretic or for bladder and kidney problems. It contains a factor in preventing small capillary blood vessels from rupturing and was used for heart problems. A wholesome vegetable drink can be made from the cooled cooking water of asparagus as long as it is not salted too heavily. As early as 200 B.C. the Romans had how-to-grow directions for asparagus. They enjoyed it in season and were the first to preserve it by freezing. In the 1st Century fast chariots and runners took asparagus from the Tiber River area to the snowline of the Alps where it was kept for six months until the Feast of Epicurus. Roman emperors maintained special asparagus fleets to gather and carry the choicest spears to the empire. The characteristics of asparagus were so well-known to the ancients that Emperor Caesar Augustus described "haste" to his underlings as being "quicker than you can cook asparagus". In the
16th Century, asparagus gained popularity in France and
England. From there, the early colonists brought it to
America. Asparagus is often called the “Food of
Kings.” King Louis XIV of France was so fond of this
delicacy that he ordered special greenhouses built so he could enjoy
asparagus all year-round! One could say asparagus is truly an
international food. With its high tolerance for salt and its
preference for sandy soils, wild asparagus grows in such diverse places as
England, Russia, Poland and Stidham, Oklahoma. Asparagus is depicted
in ancient Egyptian writings. Asparagus has also been grown in Syria
and Spain since ancient times.
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