Artichoke in season & looking good

The artichoke has been one of the best looking products in our fridges over the last couple of weeks. We have had some fantastic globe artichoke varieties as well as a good supply of Jerusalem artichokes. When in season we usually keep at least one variety of globe artichoke in stock. For those seeking a specific artichoke variety we would suggest signing up our Rungis market update which will contain many different artichoke options.

Globe Artichoke.

A variety of a species of thistle, the globe artichoke is cultivated as a food and considered to be the ‘true’ artichoke. The edible part of the thistle plant consists of the flower buds before the flower blooms. The artichoke flower head is a cluster of lots of budding small flowers, also known as an inflorescence with many bracts on a base (or ‘heart’) which is edible however, the tough outside leaves and the furry central choke and surrounding leaves are not. The plant becomes course and barely edible as the structure changes once the buds bloom.

Cultivation of globe artichoke is predominantly concentrated in countries which border the Mediterranean basin with the main producers in Europe being Spain, France and Italy. In Monterey County, United States, Castroville proclaims itself to be “The Artichoke Centre of the World” as it holds the annual Castroville Artichoke Festival and Monterey County provides around 80% of the U.S. crop.

The best globe artichokes are those which have tightly packed, crisp green (or purple- depending on variety) leaves with a slight bottom. Fresh artichokes feel heavy for their size and when the bud is gently squeezed the leaves should ‘squeak’. The leaves are generally more tender in smaller artichokes with the ‘heart’ being bigger in the large globe artichokes.

Jerusalem Artichoke.

Also known as; sunchoke, earth apple, sunroot or topinambour, the Jerusalem artichoke is a tuber of a species of sunflower (Helianthus tuberosus). The tubers are uneven, thick and elongated vaguely resembling root ginger in appearance. Varying in colour from a common pale brown to white to a red or purple colour, the texture is crisp when raw but when boiled becomes a lot softer with an almost ‘fluffy potato’ consistency sometimes being used as a substitute for potato.

It was the Native Americans who first cultivated the plant as a food source before the arrival of the Europeans with the first tribes trading the artichoke with other tribes in the region. When the early Europeans learnt of the plant, they sent some back to Europe where it became a popular crop and became naturalized.

The origin of the name is uncertain as Jerusalem artichoke has neither any relation to Jerusalem nor is a distant relative of artichokes. It is believed that Italian settlers in the US called the plant girasole (Italian for sunflower) and in time this was changed to Jerusalem with the English being held responsible for ‘corrupting’ girasole artichoke (“sunflower artichoke”) to Jerusalem artichoke. The artichoke part of the name comes from Samuel de Champlain; a French explorer who sent the first sample plant to France, noted that it was a similar taste to an artichoke.

Artichoke Facts.

• Technically the artichoke is a flower bud that has not yet bloomed.
• The first mention of artichokes in literature was around 40-70 AD in The Greek Herbal of Dioscorides, a book on the medicinal uses of plants.
• They were considered to be an aphrodisiac by the Greeks and Romans.
• During the excavation of Mons Claudianus in Egypt during the Roman period Artichoke seeds were found.
• Women were prohibited from eating them in many countries until the 16th century, because they were still considered to have aphrodisiac properties. In 1576, Dr. Bartolomeo Boldo wrote in the “Book of Nature” that the artichoke “has the virtue of … provoking Venus for both men and women; for women making them more desirable, and helping the men who are in these matters rather tardy.”
• The Dutch introduced the English to the artichoke in the 1500’s.
• French and Spanish immigrants brought them to the USA in the 19th century & it wasn’t until the 20th century that artichokes were grown in the United States.
• In 1947 Marilyn Monroe, then still going by her given name Norma Jean, was crowned Castroville’s first Artichoke Queen.
• Artichoke is the primary flavor of the popular Italian liqueur Cynar.
• One artichoke plant can produce more than 20 artichokes per year.
• Italy is the world’s biggest artichoke producer. Other Mediterranian countries like Egypt, Spain, and France are also top producers.
• It is best to wear rubber gloves when working with artichokes.
• Never be cook artichokes in aluminum pots as they tend to turn the pots a gray color.
• They are easy to over cook, however they will burn unless covered completely in water whilst they are being cooked.
• For better flavour add a small amount of sugar and salt to the water, this will make them sweeter and help them to retain their colour.

Health Benefits of the Artichoke.

Containing around 2%protein, no oil and a surprising lack of starch, the Jerusalem artichoke is rich in a carbohydrate known as inulin (not to be confused with insulin) which is a polymer of monosaccharide fructose. This is where the artichoke gets its underlying sweet taste, as fructose is approximately one and a half times as sweet as sucrose thus tubers stored for any length of time will convert the inulin to fructose becoming sweeter. The only downside of the Jerusalem artichoke is that the inulin in the artichoke can’t be broken down by the digestive system but it can be metabolised in the colon by bacteria thus causing flatulence and occasional gastric pain.

Artichokes are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, while being a rich source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamins which include vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B-6,B-12, A, E, D and vitamin K. Artichokes also provide minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, sodium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.

A Few Words of Caution: Although these benefits seem tremendous, there are dangers connected to almost any food item, and it is important to do your research. Some people are sensitive to the effects of artichokes due to allergies, particularly in terms of artichoke leaf extract, since it is in such a concentrated form. Since artichokes are technically a thistle, not a vegetable, they are closely related to ragweed, daisies, marigolds, or chrysanthemums. Many people who suffer from those allergies might also have a bad experience with artichokes.

As well as the above mentioned nutritional information, eating artichokes is said to have the following benefits

• Artichokes have the highest antioxidant levels out of all vegetables.
• Vitamin-C is also a well known antioxidant, and it is found in significant levels in artichokes.
• The leaves of the artichoke have been found to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL, or omega-3 fatty acid).
• High in Fiber - Artichokes are a rich source of dietary fiber, which is one of the most beneficial nutritional staples for improving the health and functionality of your digestive system.

Share your Artichoke images.

We would love to feature a video of a local chef preparing an artichoke so if you are using them in your kitchen please send us a video link (~You Tube or Vmeo) and we will embed it on this page and share it through our Twitter account.

 
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