location: Villa Petto di Colledara

Wild asparagus are sprouts of a rhizomatous and thorny plant called asparagus acutifolius, which belongs to the Liliaceae family. They grow spontaneously from March to June all over the Mediterranean area, in uncultivated meadows, glades and woodland areas up to a height of 1,300 metres and they are found everywhere in the Italian peninsula, with the exception of Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta and Trentino. The aerial part of the plant has a long woody stem of a pale green or deep green colour, with shades of violet near the tip, which is similar to a spike. The top of the sprout, the most tender and edible part, is called the shoot; it has a strong and bitter taste and is rich in health benefits.

Foraging for wild asparagus requires a lot of attention and concentration, as the sprouts are camouflaged very well among the grass and the leaves of the undergrowth. It is necessary to learn about the right way to hunt for asparagus, in order to protect the plant and the environment that surrounds it.

This guided walk, with a knowledge-based educational objective has been organized in collaboration with the Academy of the Wild Asparagus, which was founded with the aim of spreading knowledge about wild asparagus, its use in cooking and its nutritional properties, through events and initiatives for promoting the product and the social activities potentially related to its collection and its use.

Maurizio Cruciani, founder and promoter of the Association will lead a stroll around the countryside of Colledara, close to Villa Petto, searching for asparagus, explaining the foraging techniques and their use in the kitchen; the participants will thus be able to go on a journey of discovery in the midst of nature, taking part in a training activity in the field along with members of the Academy.

The foraging activity will conclude with an asparagus-based snack:

– asparagus and ricotta
– frittata with asparagus
– bread and oil
– wine

All participants must become members of the Academy of Wild Asparagus Association so that they are covered by insurance: the membership card has a validity of one year for participation in other events of the association and a special price of € 5.