Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-10
A NEGLECTED VEGETABLB.


1t might be very grandiloquent to affirm that,
prior to the turnip, centuries before the par
snip, ante ior in fact, to our existing to-day in
Sometimes it has been asserted from its COM
mon name-Jerusalem artichoke-that this
tuber Is OF eastern derivation, and that the Jews
the history Of vegetables is yet unknown. Some
authorities trace 1t to the seventeenth century
as coming from Brazil, while others insist that
II was the potato which replaced the artichoke
and that once the whole Of Europe were arti-
choke eaters. Our end will be, however, accom-
plished when we state that the Jerusalem arti-
choke IS a neglected vegetable, and that its
or more ago series Of novels were reprinted,
DOCKS all famous in their time, written by
one one OF THE, me most eccentric and clever Of
in the first half Of this century, had a
huge liking for old things, and he writes about
so he intimates, and he takes the trouble to eX-
plain how the name Palestine soup, made Of
artnhokes has been derived from the Italian
Rev: DR.. Opinian. dining with his friend Squire
Gryll; "a curiously compounded misnomer.
We have an excellent old vegetable, the arti-
another, of subsequent Introduction, of which
we eat the root. and which we cali artichoke
because 1t resembles the first In flavor although
slecier of sun-flower OF the sy,,genesin rus
t'0ned IN class of plants. 1t Is, therefore, a
giraSOle Or turn to-the-Sun. From the giraSole
we have made Jerusalem, and from the Jeru-
salem articheke we make Palestine soup.n This
derivation OF the name OF the soup Is undoubt-
edly correct, just as dandeliOn comes from dent
de-uon, or lions tooth, but with the taste OF Dr.
Cp1D1an we by no means agree, and even when
we find in books of reference the very terrible
assertion made that the tubers of the artichoke
care food for swine and CATTLE" we must differ
cases OF vegetable which has had a bad
name given to it. People do use them spar
1ngly, however, as material for pickles, but
few know how really excellent they are as
Scribable flavor of their own, which the intelli-
gent gourmet delights in, for it family recalls
the truflle. 1t Is quite as good as the French
ing may be used: Wash carefully, then scrape
like potatoes, throw into boiling water about
enough to cover them, add salt in the water, and
cook half an hour until tender. Drain care
fully, keeping them near the fire so as to evapo-
rate the water, and serve with white sauce, as
for boiled celery. But excellent as artichokes
are when hot, they are even better when used
cold after boiling as salad. Any dressing will
do providing not too much pepper or vinegar is
used, for their quiet flavor is destroyed by any
o e, There Is one thing, however,
adapted to, and that is to Stuffing turkey.
Possibly there are but three extraneous things
-chesnuts, tru1fes, and artichokes-which con-
marie the best. The artichokes should be
boiled; then allowed to dry as much as possible
using pressure to extract moisture Make into
pul'ee, thicken with few stale bread crumbs.
season with little pepper and salt, "a little nut
meg, and then introduce it into the bird
AS TO Palestine soup, careful research into
an old cookbook of 116S furnished this rather
vague receipt: Take hock-bone of lean beef
and make strong broth Having cleaned
your Jerusalem artichokes, which Should be
fresh-plucked, cut them in Slices and let them
DO to parbOil in some of the broth. Then cut
them into fine pieces and place them in the
caldron, and boil until the broth Is done. A few
leaks, marjoram and thyme, with general gar
den stuff should be put in the broth. It is
among the most healthful of soups, being cool
Ing and very advisable in the spring OF the
year." Here Is receipt for artchoke soup for
1nvalidS, which has been found quite palatable:
Boil pound of Jerusalem artichokes until ten
der, with one cnfon turnip, and piece of
celery. When cooked, pass all through sieve;
add to this quart of weak stock. When it has
BOILED again, add half pint Of milk, with salt
and pepper to taste.
At this season Of the year the addition of a
single vegetable to the menu is Of decided ad-
vantage, and none have better claims to d good
position at the table than the Jerusalem artf-
choke. 1t is strange how little attention has
been paid by market gardeners to this most
delicate vegetable. 1t is exceedingly hardy,
yields well, and once put in the ground, voluni
teer plants will keep growing for years to come
The real difficulty seems to be how to get rid OF
the art1choke when once planted.-[N. Y