Gavà's Asparagus: Tradition and Taste

Since its inception in 1932, the Fira d’Espàrrecs Gavà (Gavà Asparagus Festival) has celebrated the rare spring delicacy that is the white asparagus. It's one of Spain's oldest ongoing culinary fairs—interrupted only because of the Spanish Civil War. What began as a competition for local farmers has blossomed into a multi-day festival celebrating the town's agricultural and culinary heritage with a full program of activities. In addition to proud displays of the area's splendid spring harvest, the weekend is filled with cooking demos, workshops, children's activities, live music, a castellera (human castle building), a cercavila (treasure hunt), ball de bastons (traditional Catalan dance with wooden batons) and, of course, plenty of food.

White Gold

If you’re not acquainted with the fat, creamy white asparagus from Gavà you might just be surprised at how much it differs from its green cousin. Though derived from the same varieties as the green asparagus, its nutty, earthy flavor is milder with notes of fresh white corn and artichokes—an exquisite flavor that is hard to forget.

"It is a product that you can only try in Gavà," says Josep Maria Lluch, president of the Unió de Restauradors. This is for good reason; the Baix Llobregat comarca (county) contains the uniquely loose, sandy, mineral-rich soil that asparagus needs to thrive in, combined with a warm growing season and a proximity to the sea that infuses the vegetables with a special kind of sweetness. Cultivating these coveted ghostly-white sprouts is a labor of love; as they grow they are covered with mounds of soil and then a tarp to prevent exposure to the sun. This practice prevents photosynthesis from taking place resulting in a sweeter, more tender stalk.

White asparagus is not the only vegetable in the region grown in this way—Gavà has become one of the most important places in Catalunya for exporting that most emblematic of Catalan vegetables: the calçot. "This year we have broken the record for calçot exports, and England is where the demand is highest," said Josep Pañella, president of Cooperativa Agropecuària.

Commemorating a long tradition with an artistic touch, the Fira d’Espàrrecs Gavà, celebrated every year in April, is an opportunity to travel to an historic farming town in Catalunya and discover a traditional agricultural fair while sampling one of the most difficult, labor intensive vegetables to grow.

Published April 2019, updated March 30, 2024.