White asparagus, also known as the “royal vegetable”, is harvested from April to May of each year, with AAA-size Black Forest white asparagus being Cucina's chef Andrea Delzanno's favourite for its taste and rarity. “White asparagus from Europe is considered as the best in the world, but I love to select German white asparagus because of its sweetness and plump size,” the chef explains.

For the occasion, Delzanno is showcasing white asparagus in six Italian dishes, including hamachi tartare with white asparagus, sundried tomatoes, apple sauce, yuzu, Oscietra caviar which allows you to sample white asparagus raw for its distinctive flavour. The hamachi tartare gives a light briny taste, while green apple sauce, yuzu and caviar add flavourful acidity—a perfect way to refresh your palate during warmer weather.

Pasta lovers should not miss the linguine aglio olio and chilli, razor clams, white asparagus, black garlic and parsley. The aglio olio is a simple garlic and oil sauce, and Delzanno spices the pasta to enhance the flavour of the razor clams and white asparagus. Black garlic gives the dish a finishing touch. Pan-seared suzuki seabass fillet, white asparagus, lobster sauce, clams is a blissful main, beautifully coloured to ring in the summer.