Abbey Park

No, this is not a title for a BBC costume drama, it’s a place in Lincolnshire that grows the best asparagus in the land, in our opinion. Abbey Park is owned by Ros and Nick Loweth who started their business with only one acre of land and grew asparagus as a hobby. That has rapidly expanded into a 30 acre site. They supply some of the finest restaurants and grocers in London including The Ivy and Fortnum and Masons, and both our shops.

Aspargus is at the peak of its season and it’s probably the most popular vegetable we sell throughout the year. The season started at the end of April (a week late, as it would normally start around St George’s Day on 23rd, if the conditions are right) and then goes on until the middle of June (mid summers day); so there’s just less than two months to enjoy this delicious treat.

There is a recipe for cooking asparagus in Apicius’ oldest surviving book of recipes dating back to third century AD. It was also cultivated by the ancient Greeks. Its is very labour intensive crop to grow and can take three years for a plant to mature thus demands a high price tag. We think it’s worth it as it hearlds the end of the “hungry gap” and the start of the spring harvest.

To cook, bring your largest pan filled with salted water to the boil and plunge your spears into it for 3 – 5 mins depending on their thickness. Remove from the boiling water and refresh under cold water for a few seconds to prevent any further cooking, drizzle the warm asparagus with your best extra virgin olive oil, toss in some finely chopped herbs (dill, tarragon and chervil) and serve with shavings of parmigiano reggiano, finish with some Cornish Sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

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