Oldenburger Münsterland Asparagus Meal
The Oldenburger Münsterland region counts among the largest contiguous asparagus producing areas in Germany. Therefore, the Verbund Oldenburger Münsterland has started a campaign in 1996 together with the two regional district sections of the Deutschen Hotel- und Gaststättenverbandes (DEHOGA) putting asparagus in the centre and positioning Oldenburger Münsterland as an important asparagus-growing region in Lower Saxony, advertising it for culinary journeys into this region.
Since 1996, numerous restaurants in both rural districts of Cloppenburg and Vechta invite their guests on Friday before Mother’s Day to the large Oldenburger Münsterland “Spargelessen” (asparagus meals), to promote asparagus as a regional quality product and to communicate asparagus meals as seasonal event catering on a large scale. The major gastronomical event on the Lower Saxony asparagus route (Spargelstraße) consists of countless menu and buffet variations, a varied entertainment programme and a broad prize-drawing competition of a total value of 70,000 Euros last time. This has been successful as shows the development of the Oldenburger Münsterland asparagus meals:
| Year | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Restaurants | 26 | 34 | 38 | 39 | 39 | 40 | 43 |
| Guests | 1,700 | 2,700 | 3,800 | 3.900 | 4,200 | 5,000 | 5,400 |
| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Restaurants | 45 | 50 | 51 | 55 | 52 | 51 | 54 |
| Guests | 5,500 | 7,100 | 7,100 | 7,300 | 7,300 | 6,500 | 7,050 |
Since 2000, the Verbund Oldenburger Münsterland and the DEHOGA district sections open up the regional asparagus season with an Oldenburger Münsterland asparagus meal for invited guests. This official opening session is carried out in attractive venues in neighbouring regions and has established itself as a social occasion of interregional encounter with large media coverage. The gastronomical host receives a delivery of all the ingredients from Oldenburger Münsterland. On a regular basis, 250 to 300 personalities from business and politics, culture and media in Oldenburger Münsterland as well as the host region are taking part. This year, the asparagus season is opened on May 2nd, 2011 in the Landidyll-Hotel Backenköhler in Ganderkesee.
