All about artichokes including history, cooking tips, and health benefits.

All About Artichokes

 

Become a kitchen master of this edible thistle and learn all about artichokes. Do not let the thorny leaves of the artichoke discourage you. Within this member of the thistle family lies a treasure for the palate and a boon to the body.

The globe artichoke plant (called globe for the shape of the bud) grows 3 to 5 feet tall. It produces edible, slightly nutty-flavored, flower buds reaching up to six inches in diameter. Once the flower matures, the artichoke becomes inedible so the buds are harvested by hand before flowering. There are over 140 varieties.

The Jerusalem artichoke (a root vegetable) and the Chinese or Japanese artichoke are completely different, unrelated plants.

In warm climates, the artichoke is grown as a perennial; in cool climates, as an annual. The small purple Provençal artichoke is the only variety of over a dozen that can be eaten raw, since it has an underdeveloped choke.

How to Eat an Artichoke


If you have never eaten a whole cooked artichoke before, it can appear to be a daunting task. What is eaten and what is thrown away?

To eat the cooked artichoke, simply pull off each leaf and draw the base of the leaf through your teeth to scrape off the soft portion, discarding the rest of the leaf. As you progress upward from the base, the leaves become more tender, with larger edible portions until you reach the choke (the undeveloped flower).

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Remove and discard the “hairy” choke, then dive into the hidden treasure known as the heart.

All About Artichokes Cooking Tips


• Although baking, boiling and steaming are the most popular cooking methods for the basic stand-alone artichoke, it can be used to enhance many dishes.

• Most people are content to eat cooked artichoke virtually unadorned. Others love them dipped into melted butter, garlic butter, or mayonnaise before eating.

• Use a stainless steel knife to trim the artichoke and avoid iron or aluminum cooking pots to which can cause discoloration.

• A light spray of lemon juice will prevent darkening of trimmed artichokes awaiting preparation.

• Pressure-cooking is a quick and easy way to prepare artichokes. Artichokes are fully cooked when a bottom leaf can easily be pulled from the base.

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• Raw hearts should be cooked in acidulated (lemon juice or vinegar) water.

• Don’t throw away the stems. Peeled and cooked artichoke stems are fully edible. Eat hot or chill and slice into salads or pasta dishes.

• Eating the hairy choke can cause a choking hazard.

• Baby artichokes are completely edible, leaves, choke, and all.

• How to select and store artichokes.

Artichokes and Wine


Why shouldn’t you drink good wine with artichokes? Wine enthusiasts recommend foregoing any good wine while eating artichokes. This is due to the chemical changes in the mouth caused by the artichoke. These changes affect the taste buds in most people by enhancing sweet flavors.

This natural chemical change causes food and drink consumed after artichokes to taste sweeter. Thus, they can significantly change the perceived taste of wine. If you must drink wine with artichokes, choose a highly acidic wine such as Chenin Blanc.

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History


Native to the Mediterranean region, the artichoke is the edible flower bud of a thistle-like plant in the sunflower family. It is eaten as a vegetable.

Its botanical name, Cynara scolymus, derives from the Latin canina meaning canine and the Greek skolymos meaning thistle.

Its English name comes from the Arabic al-khurshuf also meaning thistle, which became articiocco in Italian, and ultimately artichoke.

Although mankind has been eating artichokes for more than 3000 years, the fall of Rome plunged the artichoke into obscurity until its revival in Italy the mid-15th century.

Catherine de Medici, who was married to King Henry II of France at the tender young age of 14, is credited with bringing the artichoke from her native Italy to France. Its success was instant.

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The artichoke quickly made its way to Britain. As a result, the term artichoke first appeared in written English records in the 15th century. It made its way to America via French and Italian explorers.

Now California produces nearly 100 percent of the U.S. commercial artichoke crop, rivaled in popularity only in France and Italy.

Lore


According to Elizabethan folklore, the artichoke was created when a beautiful woman angered the gods and was turned into a thistle.

Ancient physicians prescribed artichokes to enhance the flailing libidos of men and as a remedy for a variety of physical ailments.

Roman scholar and naturalist Pliny noted the artichoke was more esteemed and valuable than any other garden herb at one time in ancient Rome.

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German poet Goethe was apparently not so enamored of artichokes. As he said in his book Travels Through Italy, “the peasants eat thistles.” He apparently did not much care for artichokes.

In Castroville, California, the artichoke capital of the USA, silver screen siren Marilyn Monroe was named the first Artichoke Queen while on a publicity tour in the Salinas Valley and central California in 1948.

Artichoke Health Benefits


Artichokes are low in calories, with only 60 calories for one medium cooked globe. They are naturally fat-free.

The artichoke is a natural diuretic, a digestive aid. It provides nutrition to health-promoting bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Some studies suggest that fresh artichokes help control blood-sugars in diabetics and lower cholesterol levels thus warding off arteriosclerosis.

Although artichokes have a high amount of natural sodium, they are still lower than most processed foods. They are also good sources of fiber, potassium, and magnesium.

All About Artichokes Recipe Photo ©1996 GettyInc

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All About Artichokes
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All About Artichokes
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All about artichokes, including cooking tips, how to eat one, wine interactions, history, lore, and health benefits.
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Peg's Home Cooking

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