"Noble White Beauties" in Spring Dishes Offer a Multisensory Culinary Delight

▲ Known as the "noble white beauty," white asparagus takes on various forms in these dishes. (Photo provided by the hotel)

Travel Center / Taipei Report

As temperatures warm up, the vibrant month of April is the peak season for the harvest of "noble white beauties" — white asparagus. With its sweet, tender flavor and smooth texture, white asparagus is rich in nutrients such as vitamins A, C, E, and folic acid, making it both a naturally umami-packed ingredient and a healthful anti-aging food. Hotels have launched special white asparagus set menus, pairing it with three rich seafood courses whose flavors complement the vegetable’s natural sweetness. The diverse cooking methods highlight the many facets of white asparagus, culminating in a dessert course that showcases its versatility.

Spring Asparagus Trio
Peeled to reveal the most tender parts of spring asparagus, this dish lets you enjoy the vegetable raw to savor its pure, fresh flavor. It is served with either a carrot puree blended with rice vinegar and honey for a mildly acidic, refreshing taste, or with a white asparagus yogurt sauce. The dish combines Taiwanese purple asparagus, French white asparagus, and American green asparagus.

Stir-fried Red Claw Lobster with White Asparagus and Mullet Roe with Green Asparagus Foam
White asparagus is braised in vegetable stock, cut into small pieces, and absorbs the natural sweetness of the vegetables. It is paired with plump, freshly delivered red claw lobster and enhanced with a foam made from green asparagus and potatoes, merging the earthy sweetness of the land with the briny freshness of the sea.

White Asparagus Velvet Soup with Caviar and Raw Sweet Shrimp
The soup base is crafted from a perfect ratio of cream and almonds, delivering a rich, velvety mouthfeel with a healthy nutty aroma in every sip. It is served with fresh Russian raw sweet shrimp and premium caviar, highlighting the tender, sweet flavor of the white asparagus. Enjoy the smooth, luxurious texture of the soup.

Pan-seared Spanish Mackerel with White Asparagus Risotto and Broad Beans
Echoing the lingering flavors of the white asparagus velvet soup, this dish features white asparagus soaked in milk for a day to absorb its creamy richness. Vacuum cooking locks in the vegetable's natural sweetness, which is then lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. It is served with expertly pan-seared premium Japanese Spanish mackerel, cooked to tenderness, and paired with risotto that includes blanched broad beans in salted water for a hearty and flavorful meal.

Slow-cooked Veal Tenderloin with White Asparagus and Black Truffle Sauce
Using vacuum cooking to preserve the original flavor of the white asparagus once again highlights its fresh, sweet profile. The veal tenderloin is slow-cooked at 65°C until lightly browned, resulting in tender, rosy, medium-rare meat. It is served with a luxurious black truffle sauce and a hint of port wine, elevating the exquisite sweetness of the white asparagus.

Pure White Symphony
The fresh, sweet essence of white asparagus is incorporated into desserts, showcased through innovative molecular gastronomy techniques. Under strictly controlled humidity, microwave-baked almond sponge cake offers a light, fluffy texture. White asparagus sorbet retains its natural sweetness while providing a unique texture that lies between ice cream and granita. Carefully selected hazelnuts are paired with 100% smooth hazelnut sauce for a rich, indulgent touch. Guests may also opt to try a dessert paired with coconut sauce wrapped in a thin film, offering a taste of summer.

Detailed Prices:
"Snow White Spring Feast" White Asparagus Set Menu: NT$2,800 per person, wine pairing NT$1,400 (both prices include a 10% service charge)
Spring Asparagus Trio: Wine pairing — Katsunuma Zenko “Koshu Arugano Vento” NT$350
Stir-fried Red Claw Lobster with White Asparagus and Mullet Roe with Green Asparagus Foam: À la carte NT$650
White Asparagus Velvet Soup with Caviar and Raw Sweet Shrimp: À la carte NT$550, wine pairing — Champagne Jacquesson N°736 NT$550
Pan-seared Spanish Mackerel with White Asparagus Risotto and Broad Beans: À la carte NT$1,200
Slow-cooked Veal Tenderloin with White Asparagus and Black Truffle Sauce: À la carte NT$1,100, wine pairing — Château Bel-Air Lagrave 1989 NT$450
Pure White Symphony: À la carte NT$450 (almond sponge / white asparagus sorbet / hazelnuts / coconut sauce), wine pairing — Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria 2009 NT$250

For details and reservations, please call (02) 2718-1188 and ask for TOSCANA Italian Restaurant at Taipei Sheraton Hotel.