Artichoke

Theartichoke(Cynara cardunculusvar.scolymus),also known by the other names:French artichoke,globe artichoke, andgreen artichokein the United States,is a variety of a species ofthistlecultivated as food.
The edible portion of the plant consists of the flowerbudsbefore the flowers come into bloom. The budding artichoke flower-head is a cluster of many budding small flowers (aninflorescence), together with manybracts, on an edible base. Once the buds bloom, the structure changes to a coarse, barely edible form. Another variety of the same species is thecardoon, aperennialplant native to theMediterranean region. Both wild forms and cultivated varieties (cultivars) exist.
This vegetable grows to1.4–2 m (4+1⁄2–6+1⁄2ft) tall, with arching, deeply lobed, silvery, glaucous-greenleaves50–83 cm (19+1⁄2–32+1⁄2in) long. Theflowersdevelop in a large head from an ediblebudabout 8–15 cm (3–6 in) diameter with numerous triangular scales; the individual florets are purple. The edible portions of the buds consist primarily of the fleshy lower portions of theinvolucral bractsand the base, known as theheart; the mass of immature florets in the center of the bud is called thechokeorbeard(which are inedible in older, larger flowers).
The English wordartichokewas borrowed in the sixteenth century from the northern Italian wordarticiocco(the standard modern Italian beingcarciofo). The Italian term was itself borrowed either from Spanishalcarchofa(today usuallyalcachofa) or directly from the source of the Spanish word—medievalAndalusi Arabicالخرشوفة(al-kharshūfa, including the Arabic definite articleal). The Arabic formkharshūfais still used inMaghrebi Arabictoday, while other variants in Arabic includekharshafa, andModern Standard Arabickhurshūfa. These Arabic forms themselves derive from classical Arabicحرشفة(harshafa) singular word of the pluralحراشف(ḥarashef) meaning"scale".Other languages which derive their word for the artichoke from Arabic includeIsraeli Hebrew, which has the wordחֻרְשָׁף(khursháf). The originalHebrewname (see Hebrew:he:ארטישוק) isקינרסkinars, which is found in theMishna.
Despite being borrowed from Arabic, European terms for the artichoke have in turn influenced Arabic in their own right. For example, the modernLevantine Arabicterm for artichoke isأرضي شوكي(ʔarḍī shawkī). This literally means 'earthy thorny', and is an Arabicisation (throughphono-semantic matching) of the English wordartichokeor other European terms like it.
As in the case of Levantine Arabicʔarḍī shawkī, names for the artichoke have frequently changed form due tofolk etymologyand phono-semantic matching. The Italian formarticioccoseems to have been adapted to correspond to Italianarci-('arch-, chief') andciocco('stump'). Forms of the French wordartichaut(which also derives from Arabic, possibly via Spanish) have over the years includedartichaud(corresponding tochaud, 'warm') andartihault(corresponding tohaut, 'height'). Forms found in English have includedhartichoak, corresponding toheartandchoke, which were likely associated with the belief that the inedible centre of the vegetable could choke its eaters or that the plant can take over a garden, choking out other plants.
Artichokes are affected byfungal pathogensincludingVerticillium dahliaeandRhizoctonia solani.
Soil solarizationhas been successful in other crop-funguspathosystemsand is evaluated for suppression ofV. dahliaeandR. solaniby Guerrero et al. 2019.
The artichoke is a domesticated variety of the wildcardoon(Cynara cardunculus),which is native to the Mediterranean area.There was debate over whether the artichoke was a food among the ancient Greeks and Romans, or whether that cultivar was developed later, with Classical sources referring instead to the wild cardoon.The cardoon is mentioned as a garden plant in the eighth century BCE byHomerandHesiod.Pliny the Eldermentioned growing of 'carduus' inCarthageandCordoba.In North Africa, where it is still found in the wild state, the seeds of artichokes, probably cultivated, were found during the excavation of Roman-periodMons Claudianusin Egypt.
Varieties of artichokes were cultivated inSicilybeginning in the classical period of the ancient Greeks; the Greeks calling themkaktos. In that period, the Greeks ate the leaves and flower heads, which cultivation had already improved from the wild form. The Romans called the vegetablecarduus(hence the namecardoon). Further improvement in the cultivated form appears to have taken place in the medieval period in Muslim Spain and theMaghreb, although the evidence is inferential only.By the twelfth century, it was being mentioned in the compendious guide to farming composed byIbn al-'Awwamin Seville (though it does not appear in earlier major Andalusian Arabic works on agriculture), and in Germany byHildegard von Bingen.
Le Roy Ladurie, in his bookLes paysans de Languedoc, has documented the spread of artichoke cultivation in Italy and southern France in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, when the artichoke appeared as a new arrival with a new name, which may be taken to indicate an arrival of an improved cultivated variety:
The Dutch introduced artichokes to England, where they grew inHenry VIII's garden at Newhall in 1530. From the mid-17th century artichokes 'enjoyed a vogue' in European courts. The hearts were considered luxury ingredients in the new court cookery as recorded by writers such asFrançois Pierre La Varenne, the author of Le Cuisinier François (1651). It was also claimed, in this period, that artichokes hadaphrodisiacproperties.They were taken to the United States in the nineteenth century—toLouisianaby French immigrants and toCaliforniaby Spanish immigrants.
Cultivation of the globe artichoke is concentrated in the Americas and the countries bordering the Mediterranean basin. The main European producers are Italy, Spain, and France and the main American producers are Argentina, Peru and the United States. In the United States, California provides nearly 100% of the U.S. crop, with about 80% of that being grown inMonterey County; there,Castrovilleproclaims itself to be "The Artichoke Center of the World" and holds the annualCastroville Artichoke Festival. More recently, artichokes have been grown in South Africa in a small town calledParys, located along theVaal River.
In 2020, the world produced approximately 1.5 million tons of artichokes.
Artichokes can be produced from seeds or from vegetative means such asdivision,root cuttings, ormicropropagation. Although technically perennials that normally produce the edible flower during only the second and subsequent years, certain varieties of artichokes can be grown from seed as annuals, producing a limited harvest at the end of the first growing season, even in regions where the plants are not normally winter-hardy. This means home gardeners in northern regions can attempt to produce a crop without the need to overwinter plants with special treatment or protection. The seed 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 survives subzero temperatures.
Commercial culture is limited to warm areas in USDAhardiness zone 7and above. It requires good soil, regular watering and feeding, and frost protection in winter. Rooted suckers can be planted each year, so mature specimens can be disposed of after a few years, as each individual plant lives only a few years. The peak season for artichoke harvesting is the spring, but they can continue to be harvested throughout the summer, with another peak period in mid-autumn. When harvested, they are cut from the plant 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.
Apart from culinary applications, 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 flower heads.
Cooked unsalted artichoke is 82% water, 12%carbohydrates, 3%protein, and 3%fat. In a 100-gram reference serving, cooked artichoke supplies 74calories, is a rich source (20% or more of theDaily Value, DV) offolate, and is a moderate source (10–19% DV) ofvitamin K(16% DV),magnesium,sodium, andphosphorus(10–12% DV).
Large globe artichokes are frequently prepared by removing all but5–10 mm (3⁄16–3⁄8in) or so of the stem. To remove thorns, which may interfere with eating, around a quarter of each scale can be cut off. To cook, the artichoke is simmered for 15 to 30 minutes, or steamed for 30–40 minutes (less for small ones).A cooked, unseasoned artichoke has a delicate flavor.
Salt may be added to the water if boiling artichokes. Covered artichokes, in particular those that have been cut, can turn brown due to theenzymatic browningandchlorophylloxidation. Placing them in water slightly acidified with vinegar or lemon juice can prevent the discoloration.
Leaves are often removed one at a time, and the fleshy base eaten, withvinaigrette,hollandaise,vinegar,butter,mayonnaise,aioli, lemon juice, or other sauces. The fibrous upper part of each leaf is usually discarded. The heart is eaten when the inedible choke has been peeled away from the base and discarded. The thin leaves covering the choke are also edible.
In Italy, artichoke hearts in oil are the usual vegetable for the "spring" section of the"four seasons" pizza(alongside tomatoes and basil for summer, mushrooms for autumn, andprosciuttoand olives for winter).
A recipe well known in Rome isJewish-style artichokes, which are deep-fried whole.The softer parts of artichokes are also eaten raw, one leaf at a time dipped in vinegar and olive oil, or thinly sliced and dressed with lemon and olive oil.
There are many stuffed artichoke recipes. A common Italian stuffing uses a mixture of bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, parsley, grated cheese, and prosciutto or sausage. A bit of the mixture is then pushed into the spaces at the base of each leaf and into the center before boiling or steaming.
In Spain, younger, smaller, and more tender artichokes are used. They can be sprinkled with olive oil and left in hot ashes in a barbecue, sautéed in olive oil with garlic, with rice as apaella, or sautéed and combined with eggs in a tortilla (frittata).
Often cited is the Greekanginares alla Polita("artichokes city-style", referring to the city ofConstantinople), a hearty, savory stew made with artichoke hearts, potatoes, and carrots, and flavored with onion, lemon, and dill.The island ofTinos, or the villages of Iria and Kantia in thePeloponnese, still very much celebrate their local production, including with aday of the artichokeor an artichoke festival.
Artichokes may also be prepared by completely breaking off all of the leaves, leaving the bare heart. The leaves are steamed to soften the fleshy base part of each leaf to be used as the basis for any number of side dishes orappetizing dips, or the fleshy part is left attached to the heart, while the upper parts of the leaves are discarded. The remaining concave-shaped heart is often filled with meat, then fried or baked in a savory sauce. Canned or frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the consistency and stronger flavor of fresh hearts, when available, is often preferred. Deep-fried artichoke hearts are eaten in coastal areas ofCalifornia.
ThroughoutNorth Africa, theMiddle East,Turkey, andArmenia, ground lamb is a favorite filling for stuffed artichoke hearts. Spices reflect the local cuisine of each country. InLebanon, for example, the typical filling would include lamb, onion, tomato,pinenuts, raisins, parsley, dill, mint, black pepper, andallspice. A popular Turkish vegetarian variety uses only onion, carrot, green peas, and salt.  Artichokes are often prepared with white sauces or other kinds of sauces.
Artichokes can also be made into aherbal tea. The infusion is consumed particularly among theVietnamese.An artichoke-based herbal tea calledCeai de Anghinareis made in Romania.The flower portion is put into water and consumed as a herbal tea in Mexico. It has a slightly bitter, woody taste.
Artichoke is the primary botanical ingredient of the Italian aperitifCynar, with 16.5% alcohol by volume, produced by theCampari Group.It can be served over ice as anaperitifor as a cocktail mixed with orange juice, which is especially popular in Switzerland. It is also used to make a 'Cin Cyn', a slightly less-bitter version of theNegroni cocktail, by substituting Cynar forCampari.
The globe artichoke genome has been sequenced.The genome assembly covers 725 of the 1,084 Mb genome and the sequence codes for about 27,000 genes. An understanding of the genome structure is an important step in understanding traits of the globe artichoke, which may aid in the identification of economically important genes from related species.