Dictionary:

artichoke

  (är'tĭ-chōk')

1. 1. A Mediterranean thistlelike plant (Cynara scolymus) in the composite family, having pinnately divided leaves and large discoid heads of bluish flowers.
   2. The edible, immature flower head of this plant. Also called globe artichoke.
2. The Jerusalem artichoke.

[Ultimately from Old Spanish alcarchofa, from Arabic al-haršuf : al-, the + huršūf, haršuf, artichoke.]

WORD HISTORY   Those who have been warned to watch out for the sharp-tipped bracts toward the innermost part of an artichoke may have wondered whether the name of this vegetable has anything to do with choking. Originally it did not. Our word goes back to an Arabic word for the same plant, al-haršuf. Along with many other Arabic words, it passed into Spanish during the Middle Ages, when Muslims ruled much of Spain. The Old Spanish word alcarchofa was variously modified as it passed through Italian, a northern dialect form being articiocco, the source of the English word. It was further modified in English, where a potpourri of spellings and explanations are found since its appearance early in the 16th century. For example, people who did not know the long history of the word explained it by the notion that the flower had a “choke,” that is, something that chokes, in its “heart.”

Young flower heads of Cynara scolymus; the edible parts are the fleshy bracts and the base; the choke is the inedible filaments. A 110-g portion (two artichoke hearts) is a source of vitamin C; provides 1.1 g of dietary fibre; supplies 17 kcal (70 kJ).

This edible thistle dates back eons and was prized by ancient Romans as food of the nobility. The word "artichoke" is shared by three unrelated plants: the globe artichoke, jerusalem artichoke and chinese (or Japanese) artichoke. The globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is considered the true artichoke, and today, there are over 50 varieties of it grown around the world. In the United States, almost the entire crop is cultivated in California's midcoastal region. In Europe, France, Italy and Spain produce prodigious crops of this illustrious vegetable. The artichoke is actually the flower bud (its leaves tough and petal-shaped) of a large thistle-family plant. The buds grow on stalks, each of which has a primary bud at its tip and two or three smaller buds lower down. Below that are several very small buds, which are marketed as baby or cocktail artichokes, or sold for canning. Fresh globe artichokes are available year-round, with the peak season from March through May. They range in size from jumbo (great for stuffing) to baby (good whole for sautéing, frying, roasting or marinating to be used in salads). Purchase artichokes that have a tight leaf formation, a deep green color and that are heavy for their size. The leaves should squeak when pressed together. Avoid those that look dry or have split leaves or heavy browning. However, a slight discoloration on the leaf edges early in the season is generally frost damage (winter's kiss) and won't affect the vegetable's quality. In general, the smaller the artichoke the more tender it will be; the rounder it is, the larger its heart. Artichokes are best used the day of purchase but can be stored unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; wash just before cooking. Processed artichoke hearts and bottoms are available canned (in brine or oil) as well as jars (in an oil marinade). Artichoke hearts are also available frozen. Labeling terms can be confusing-"artichoke crowns," for example, are actually artichoke bottoms, and the terms "hearts" and "bottoms" are sometimes used interchangeably. In actuality, the heart is a portion of the fleshy artichoke base including the attached tender pale leaves; the bottom is the entire base sans leaves. To prepare whole artichokes for cooking, slice off the stem to form a flat base. Snap off the tough outer leaves closest to the stem. Trim about 1⁄2 inch off the pointed top, then use scissors to snip off the prickly tips of the outer leaves. Rub all cut edges with lemon to prevent discoloration. It's easier to remove the fuzzy choke (use a teaspoon) after cooking, but it can also be done beforehand. Soaking artichokes in acidulated water for an hour before cooking will improve their color and tenderness. Cook artichokes in stainless steel, glass or enamelware only (see cookware and bakeware materials) to prevent discoloration and off-flavors. Artichokes are done when the bottoms can be pierced with a knife tip. Cooked artichokes may be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To eat a whole cooked artichoke, break off the leaves one by one and draw the base of the leaf through your teeth to remove the soft portion, discarding the remainder of the leaf. The individual leaves may be dipped into melted butter or some other sauce. After the leaves have been removed, the inedible prickly choke is cut or scraped away and discarded so the tender base is accessible. Artichokes contain small amounts of potassium and vitamin A and absolutely no fat.

For more information on artichoke, visit Britannica.com.

This article is about the globe artichoke. For other uses, see Artichoke (disambiguation).

Globe Artichoke
Globe Artichoke buds ready for cooking
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Cynara Species: C. scolymus
Binomial name
Cynara scolymus L.

The Globe Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean. It grows to 1.5-2 m tall, with arching, deeply lobed, silvery glaucous-green leaves 50–80 cm long. The flowers develop in a large head from an edible bud about 8–15 cm diameter with numerous triangular scales; the individual florets are purple. The edible portion of the buds consists primarily of the fleshy lower portions of the involucral bracts and the base, known as the "heart"; the mass of inedible immature florets in the center of the bud are called the "choke."

Cultivation

Artichoke output in 2005

Artichoke flower

Globe Artichokes were first cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 15th century, and are said to have been introduced to France by Catherine de' Medici, Dutch introduced artichokes to England, where they were growing in Henry VIII's garden at Newhall in 1530. They were introduced to the United States in the 19th century, to Louisiana by French immigrants and to California by Spanish immigrants. The name has originated from ardi shauki (أرضي شوكي), which is Arabic for ground-thorn, through the Italian, articiocco.

An artichoke flower.

Today, the Globe Artichoke is cultivated mainly in France, Italy, and Spain. In the United States, California provides nearly 100% of the U.S. crop, and approximately 80 percent of that is grown in Monterey County; there, Castroville proclaims itself to be "The Artichoke Center of the World". The cultivar 'Green Globe' is virtually the only kind grown commercially in the U.S.

Artichoke field.

Globe Artichokes are perennials, and produce the edible flower only during the second and subsequent year. Commercial culture is limited to warm areas in USDA hardiness zone 7 and above. It requires good soil, regular watering and feeding plus frost protection in winter. Rooted suckers can be planted each year so that mature specimens can be disposed of after a few years, as each individual plant only lives a few years. The peak season for artichoke harvesting is the spring, but they continue to be harvested throughout the summer, with another peak period in mid autumn.

When harvesting, if they are cut from the ground so as to leave an inch or two of stem, artichokes possess good keeping qualities, frequently remaining quite fresh for two weeks or longer under average retail conditions.

The recently introduced hybrid cultivar 'Imperial Star' has been bred to produce in the first year without such measures. An even newer cultivar, 'Northern Star', is said to be able to overwinter in more northerly climates, and readily survive sub-zero temperatures.

Apart from food use, the Globe Artichoke is also an attractive plant for its bright floral display, sometimes grown in herbaceous borders for its bold foliage and large purple flowerheads.

Uses

Globe Artichokes being cooked

Cooking

Whole Globe Artichokes are prepared for cooking by removing all but 5–10 mm or so of the stem, and (optionally) cutting away about a quarter of each scale with scissors. This removes the thorns that can interfere with handling the leaves when eating. Then, the artichoke is boiled or steamed until tender, about 15–45 minutes. If boiling, salt can be added to the water, if desired. It may be preferable not to cover the pot while the artichokes are boiled, so that the acids will boil out into the air. Covered artichokes can turn brown due to the acids and chlorophyll oxidation.

Tea

Artichokes can also be made into an herbal tea; artichoke tea is produced as a commercial product in the Dalat region of Vietnam.^photo[1]

Liquor

Artichoke is the primary flavor of the Italian liquor Cynar.

Ethnomedical Uses

Dried or fresh leaves and/or stems of Cynara are used as a choleretic (to increase bile production), to treat gallstones, and as a tonic for convalescence.

Cynarin is the principal active constituent in Cynara; research in 2005 found that cynarin causes an increase in bile flow^[1].

References

1. ^ 1

• This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 edition of The Grocer's Encyclopedia.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Cynara scolymus

Wikibooks Cookbook has an article on

Artichoke

• Cynara scolymus - Plants for a Future database entry
• History of the Artichoke - plus miscellaneous facts
• Developed from Cardoon? (this article is currently—as of 30 March 2007—unavailable, but will supposedly return)
• Artichokes - page of links to artichoke articles at UC Davis Vegetable Research & Information Center
• Globe Artichoke - Commercial Vegetable Production Guide, Oregon State University
• Grilled Artichokes - a photo-illustrated guide to cooking and eating artichokes
• Artichoke recipes - from the Artichoke Advisory Board of California
• Nutrition facts
• How to Cook and Eat an Artichoke - step-by-step instructions with photos
• [2]be-x-old:Артышок

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - artiskok, artiskokplante

Nederlands (Dutch)
artisjok, aardpeer

Français (French)
n. - artichaut

Deutsch (German)
n. - Artischocke

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) αγκινάρα

Italiano (Italian)
carciofo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - alcachofra (f) (Bot.)

idioms:

• globe artichoke    alcachofra (f) (Bot.)
• Jerusalem artichoke    girassol (m) perene americano (Bot.)

Русский (Russian)
артишок

idioms:

• globe artichoke    тип артишока
• Jerusalem artichoke    тип артишока

Español (Spanish)
n. - alcachofa, alcaucil

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kronärtskocka

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
朝鲜蓟

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 朝鮮薊

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 솜 엉겅퀴, 뚱딴지

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - チョウセンアザミ, アーティチョーク

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نبات خرشوف : أرضي شوكه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮חרשף, קנרס, ארטישוק‬

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