Artichoke

Artichoke is a perennial plant like the thistle with long stems ranging between one and two meters or three and six feet. Artichoke plants bear large leaves placed alternately on the stems and seldom have barbs. The upper surface of the barbs is usually grey-green in color, while they are white and woolly underneath. The plant blossoms from late spring to mid summer and bear flowers that are large and bulbous. The globular flower heads have thorny scales that are purple-green in color and also purple flowers bearing resemblance to the thistles.

The cultivation of artichokes dates back to over 2000 years ago when the Romans grew artichokes as green and salad plants. Hence, it is believed that the plant is indigenous to the vast area around the western and central Mediterranean in Europe and parts of North Africa. While the plant was introduced in England as late as in 1548, the French settlers in North America planted artichoke in Louisiana sometime around the middle of the 19th century. Currently, California in the USA is the hub of artichoke cultivation and the peak harvesting season of the plant extends from March to May.

Interestingly, the artichoke plant owes its name to the northern Italian terms like ‘articiocco’ and ‘articoclos’ which when translated to English means pine cone. In fact, the buds of artichoke plants have close resemblance to pine cones. A type of vegetable found in Jerusalem is also known as Jerusalem artichoke. However, it has nothing to do with the artichoke plants and is basically tuberous in nature and belongs to the sunflower family. In fact, the original artichoke is a huge and strong plant. The artichoke plants bear elongated, bristly and spiky leaves that can develop up to three feet in length. And the artichoke plant itself can grow up to six feet in height.

Artichoke thrives best in cold, but not sub-zero weather. These plants prefer plenty of water, rains as well as fog and hence are best suited to the climes of California. Hence, it is little surprising that the California coast, particularly the San Francisco area, has developed as the hub of commercial cultivation of artichoke.

How do you distinguish a good quality artichoke from an inferior one? Well, here are some tips that will help you to get the right quality of the plant. If you are looking for the good quality artichoke, choose the one that is compacted, fleshy, and weighty as well as that gives way somewhat to pressure. At the same time, a good quality artichoke will have hefty, firmly hanging on, plump leaf scales that are brightly colored. On the other hand, you can easily identify an aged or wounded artichoke as it will be brown in color. Similarly, an over matured artichoke is one that is uncluttered or scattering and is wooly, dark pink or purple in color at the center. The tips and scales of an over matured artichoke are also very hard.

Normally, people eat the fleshy portion of the artichoke leaves, its green and tender base and the core of the plant. While average sized artichoke plants are best for consumption, the larger artichoke plants are basically hard and tasteless. Artichokes may be served both hot or cold and they even make delectable salads.

Preparing artichokes is simple. In order to get artichokes ready, slash off the plant’s stem and remove all toughened parts and damaged leaves. Next, clean the artichoke in running cold water and put it in boiling water. Cook the substance for around 20 to 30 minutes or till the artichoke has become tender. Before serving artichokes, eliminate the choke in the center of the stem, discard the leaves at the top center and also get rid of the thistle-like substance found inside the artichokes. This will make the dish tender and tastier as well as easy to eat. While eating artichokes, remove the petal leaves of the plant as one would do to the petals of a daisy and crunch into the end of the substance.

Uses

The hearts and leaves of the artichokes are rich in alkaline ash content. The artichokes also contain substantial amount of fiber or cellulose that may prove to be detrimental for people suffering from high irritation of the bowel. In fact, it is best to eat artichokes on a plummeting diet.

Over the years, the artichoke has served both as a vegetable treat as well as a precious therapeutic plant. The roots and leaves of the artichoke plants have been valued by people since the medieval ages as they have been found to be highly beneficial in healing lethargic livers. Artichoke roots and leaves are also effectual in treating kidney problems and arteriosclerosis. It may be noted here that artichokes enclose vitamin A and C that are very effective in combating all types of infections. Artichokes have also been found to have rich contents of iron and calcium - both valuable minerals for the body.

Habitat and cultivation

As mentioned earlier, artichoke is basically indigenous to North Africa. It is also found in abundance in the sub-tropical as well as the temperate climate zones like the Canary Islands. In fact, artichokes are found to grow naturally even in the vast area around the southern and western Mediterranean region. Normally, artichokes are cultivated commercially and found in the wild only if it manages to break out from any cultivation. This is because the artichokes require rich and moist soils to thrive and prosper.