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Artichoke plant

Artichoke, also known as French artichoke or global artichoke is a plant of the aster family. It is a perennial plant grown for its edible flower buds. The immature heads of the flowers are known as a culinary delicacy. It is characterized by its delicate nutty taste and quite tender structure. It is often served cold as a salad ingredient or hot with various kinds of sauce.

The plant is native to the Mediterranean region, where it was brought in ancient times. Back then the plant was mostly valued for its young leaves rather than today’s immature flower heads. In the middle ages, there are no historical mentions of this vegetable but it is known that it was cultivated and consumed in Sicilian. Today’s way of serving was first introduced in Italy in 1400 and became an important part of the regional cuisine. Nowadays artichoke is an important part of cultivation in regions with rich soil and mild humid climate such as the Americas and Mediterranean countries.

Artichoke forms large (up to one meter long) deeply composed leaves that die each year after the blooming season. It creates stems with purpleish flowers which are reduced in their size when the plant gets older. To restore its vitality it is recommended to divide the rosette crown or rooted offshoots.

Cultivation of this vegetable is mostly conducted in the countries of the Mediterranean basin. The top leading producers of the artichoke are Italy, Spain, and France. American top producers are Argentina, Peru, and the United States. Almost 99% of the total commercial cultivation in the USA takes place in California.

It is a great source of fiber, vitamin C, and important elements such as magnesium and folate. Artichoke contains also other vitamins (K and E) and is a great source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. The plant is also rich in antioxidants.

The plant has many culinary uses and is used as an ingredient for many recipes. It is usually served stuffed with bread crumbs, garlic, herbs, grated cheese, and sausage. Fresh artichoke is also used as a seasonal pizza topping, especially in summer. It can also be grilled, steamed, cooked, or fried. It is also used to prepare cocktails and alcoholic beverages, for example, Italian liqueur known as Cynar.