‘Sparagus in Spotlight

Fans of the underground assembled in Brentwood last week to honor a tender visitor from Holland. Forty-five guests gathered at the home of Matthieu Peters, consul general of The Netherlands, to satisfy a craving for or to be introduced to white asparagus.

In their enthusiasm for this tender vegetable, the Dutch and those from other German-speaking countries rival the hysteria some in this country give Beaujolais Nouveau, according to one guest from Switzerland.

After appetizers in the garden (stir-fried tips speared with toothpicks), a three-course menu saluted “White Gold” or “Queen of Darkness,” so-called because it’s grown underground in sandy clay soil.

Statistics rolled off the tongue of importer Adrie P.M. Sprinkhuijzen as easy as his bons mots. But not everyone was entranced. One restaurateur reminded his table companions that China grows a variety of white asparagus, although its arrival is less feted than Holland’s is in Los Angeles.

The asparagus menu created by Bertus Lieftinck, an executive chef from The Netherlands, earned applause. “Slimming” is how one matron described it. The dessert--a satiny white chocolate mousse with yogurt--though having nothing to do with asparagus, was equally lauded.

Sprinkhuijzen answered all questions but one he was never directly asked. Several diners had eyes on his lapel pin--a single stalk in gold--and his necktie. The smashing red silk tie painted with tiny bundles of white ‘gus was judged “killer kitsch” by one bow-tied guest.

“Do you think he’d sell it?”