THE ARTICHOKE

10 March 2022

We had artichokes for dinner this week. 

I always said that artichokes were God's way of letting you know it's OK to eat mayonnaise.

I've grown up with artichokes, which apparently, are only grown in this country in California.  (I learned that on The Kitchen this week).  The town of Castroville is the center of the artichoke growing area.

The artichoke is actually a flower.

I wonder who got the idea to boil the plant before it flowers and then eat the tender leaves and the heart (which would grow into the flower).

According to Greek mythology, the artichoke was a creation of Zeus himself. When the he became enraged with a woman he had made into a goddess, he expelled her back to earth from Olympus in the form of an artichoke.  They are native to the Mediterranean area and their recorded use goes back to the 8th century BC.  It was used extensively in Italian cuisine and it was eventually introduced to England by Dutch traders and from there it spread out across the world.  They were brought to California in the 19th century.  The world's largest artichoke is in Castroville.

There are attempts to explain what an artichoke tastes like on the internet.

Artichokes have an earthy flavor with herbaceous notes. The petals of the artichoke have a crunchy texture while the heart is much softer and has a more intense flavor. Their hearts are, by far, the most prized part, and they’re sold separated from the rest of the artichoke. they have a similar taste to asparagus and brussels sprouts with a mild nutty flavor. Because of their texture and flavor, people also compare them to celery and celeriac.  Different variants of artichoke have also been described as resembling turnips in flavor.

I don't know that this is how I would describe the taste.  They taste like ... well ... artichokes! Walt and I were wondering, as we munched our artichokes, what happens to all the leaves of the flowers that are used for artichoke hearts.

There are all sorts of recipes for things to do with artichokes, some of which involve stuffing it with some sort of meat.  All start with trimming off the thorns.  I've never gone to that much trouble.  I just take the artichoke, dump it in water, and boil it until the heart is soft, then serve it with mayonnaise for me and melted butter for Walt.  Perhaps my favorite vegetable.

Artichokes are low in fat, high in fiber, and loaded with vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, phosphorus, and magnesium. They are also one of the richest sources of antioxidants.