Asparago Bianco di Bassano DOP

The "White Pearl" of the Veneto, a thick, tender asparagus grown entirely underground to prevent photosynthesis.

Legend says a hailstorm in the 1500s destroyed the asparagus crop in Bassano del Grappa. Farmers ate the part that was still underground and discovered it was sweeter and more tender. It became a delicacy of the Venetian nobility.

Grown in the sandy soils along the Brenta River. The spears are kept completely covered by soil mounds ("baulature") and harvested by hand using a special gouge ("sgorbia") before they break the surface. They must be pure white.

White asparagus is a delicacy in the Veneto, celebrated with festivals in Bassano del Grappa. It is traditionally eaten with hard-boiled eggs and olive oil, a dish known as 'Asparagi e Uova'.