Britain’s best asparagus - and we’re keeping it

May 13 2008 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

Richard Wilding asparagus farmer at Cherry Orchard Farm in Oakmere _320

Did you know?

* ASPARAGUS contains no cholesterol, is very low in fat and sodium and is rich in Vitamin C, folic acid, iron and potassium.

* It is a member of the lily family and can be traced back to the Romans in the 1st century AD.

* Asparagus is reputed to have aphrodisiac properties.

* Its broad base of nutrients, including potassium and Vitamin A, provide general well-being which ultimately stimulates the glandular and metabolic function, boosting sex drive.

* It is also known as a natural remedy to help relieve indigestion and has also been recommended as a mild sedative.

Asparagus comes in green, purple, white or somewhere in-between; the most popular in the rest of Europe is the white variant, which is grown in the dark, with earth piled up over the spears to prevent it from developing a green colour.

* If you plan to keep asparagus for a day or two, keep it fresh by placing in a jug or vase with the stems in water, then store (carefully) in the fridge.

* An asparagus plant has an "active" life of around 15 years – although the oldest plant recorded is 120 years.

* Japan is the world’s largest importer of asparagus – but they don’t import any UK asparagus because we eat our entire harvest ourselves.