A is for Artichokes

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 27 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #2,321 in Food, #40,413 overall

Artichokes: The Incredible Edible Thistle

Growing up in northern California, we were spoiled by an abundant supply of artichokes. Castroville, in Monterey County, is the undisputed artichoke center of the world and supplies most of the crop for the entire country. Indeed, the popular Castroville Artichoke Festival attracts thousands of visitors to the area each May. Artichokes are as versatile as they are beautiful, and provide a unique flavor to many dishes. Thankfully, our local Trader Joe's offers a wide selection of artichokes, including baby and giant versions, and a lovely purple thistle with softer leaves than its green counterpart. We still enjoy them throughout the year.

Contents at a Glance

  1. About the Author

Globe Artichokes 

A Few Facts Courtesy of Wikipedia

The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) 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 50-82 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 immature florets in the center of the bud is called the "choke." These are inedible in older larger flowers.

Globe artichokes are known to have been cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 9th century. Modern scholar, Le Roy Ladurie, in his book Les Paysans de Languedoc has documented the spread of the artichoke:

The blossom of the thistle, improved by the Arabs, passed from Naples to Florence in 1466, carried by Phillippo Strozzi. Towards 1480 it is noticed in Venice, as a curiosity. But very soon veres towards the north-west... Artichoke beds are mentioned in Avignon by the notaries from 1532 onward; from the principle towns they spread into the hinterlands... appearing as carchofas at Cavaillon in 1541, at Chateauneuf du Pape in 1553, at Orange in 1554. The local name remains carchofas, from the Italian carciofo...They are very small, the size of a hen's egg... and are still considered a luxury, a vaguely aphrodisiac tidbit which one preserved in sugar syrup.

Artichoke Recipes

Artichoke and Spinach Lasagna

Artichoke Recipes & More 

Simply Recipes Learn how to cook and eat an artichoke.

Artichoke Advisory Board of California Favorite dips from Castroville, Artichoke Benedict, Grilled Artichokes, Couscous-Stuffed Artichokes, Baked Artichoke Casserole, Focaccia-Stuffed Artichokes, Artichoke Frittata, and more.

What's Cooking America? Artichoke & Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Artichoke Hearts with Crab, Artichoke Mushroom Cannelloni Lasagna, Fettuccine with Baby Artichokes, Grilled Baby Artichokes, Italian Stuffed Artichokes, Sombrero Artichokes, Stuffed Artichokes with Smoked Salmon Salad, and more.

About.com: Home Cooking Artichoke Hearts in Tomato Rice, Artichoke Mashed Potatoes, Artichoke Nut Bread, Artichokes & Pork Chops with Mustard Cream, Artichoke Rose Garnish, Artichoke Soup, Ragout of Fresh Clams with Artichokes and Tomatoes, Shrimp & Artichoke Stuffed Fish, Spinach & Artichokes in Puff Pastry, Stewed Artichokes with Olives and Moroccan Spices, and more.

Artichoke by Marni Maree

How to Cook an Artichoke 

Here's How I Do It...

Trim the stem and tip of each artichoke, then cut any remaining thorns with kitchen scissors. Place artichokes bottom down in a deep sauce pan so they fit snugly. Drizzle olive oil over the cut, top portion and sprinkle liberally with Lawry's garlic salt. Add thinly sliced lemon wedges and a bay leaf to the pot. Fill pot with enough water to cover the artichokes, plus an inch or two. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes. Loosely cover the pan and continue simmering on low for another 30 minutes. Turn off heat and tightly cover for another 30 minutes to an hour. Gently drain artichokes, transfer to a platter, and serve.

More Artichoke Cooking Tips 

Scarpetta Tomato Artichoke Bruschetta Topping

Artichokes for the Pantry 

Preserved Meyer Lemon & Artichoke Vinaigrette

Amazon Price: $8.75 (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

Artichoke Bottom 9/12ct 28 Oz

Amazon Price: $11.89 (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

12 oz. Artichoke Linguini Pasta

Amazon Price: $6.50 (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

Le Creuset Stoneware Petite Artichoke Casserole

Artichoke Touches for the Kitchen 

Artichoke Night Light

Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/29/2009) Buy Now

Le Creuset Stoneware Petite Artichoke Casserole, Green

Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 12/29/2009) Buy Now

Artichoke With Border Dishtowel

Amazon Price: (as of 12/29/2009) Buy Now

Fitz and Floyd Vista Bella Salad Plate, Artichoke

Amazon Price: (as of 12/29/2009) Buy Now

White Artichoke Plates Set of 4

Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 12/29/2009) Buy Now

Artichoke Steaming Rack 

The Ideal Way to Cook Artichokes

Artichoke Steaming Rack

Amazon Price: $3.49 (as of 12/30/2009)Buy Now

Size: 4" top diameter x 2.75" base diameter x 2.5" height.

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Artichoke Blossom

Rare Red Concerto Artichoke

Grow Your Own Artichokes 

A Selection of Artichoke Seeds

Artichoke 25 Seeds

Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

Rare Red Concerto Artichoke 5 Seeds

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

Artichoke Violetto Chioggia Seeds

Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

Green Globe Artichoke 8 Plants

Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

Artichoke Romanesco Seeds

Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009) Buy Now

Artichoke Flower Macro View

Artichoke Seeds on eBay 

Grow Your Own Artichokes

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Gardening Resources on Squidoo 

These Lensmasters Have Green Thumbs

Castroville, California

Visit Castroville, California 

The Artichoke Center of the World

I Love Castroville T-Shirt 

100% Cotton

I Love Castroville T-shirt

Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)Buy Now

Short sleeve, pre-shrunk, great quality, and an amazing price.

Available in sizes Small to XXXXX-Large

What's the Buzz on Artichokes? 

Here's What Bloggers are Saying About Artichokes

Food Recipes: LEMON ARTICHOKE CHICKEN RECIPE
Add chicken and cook, covered, until heated through, about 7 minutes. Just before serving, add capers and chopped parsley to chicken. LEMON ARTICHOKE CHICKEN RECIPE Servings: 4 Servings/Total Time (median): 0 : 30 Active Time: 0 : 30 ...
Recipe: Artichoke Canapes for Freezing | ireallylikefood
Recipe: Artichoke Canapes for Freezing. This is a guest post from Freeze Happy. I love artichokes and they seem to be an ingredient that is not largely a staple in American cooking. Therefore, when you serve them to your guests it seems ...
New Recipe Saturday: Mushroom Marsala with Artichokes and Orecchiette
Mushroom Marsala with Artichokes and Orecchiette. I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and since I had some Marsala wine left over from another recipe, I decided to make it. The recipe calls for thimble pasta (which is really just ...
Team Toyota & Scion in Baton Rouge, LA: Super Easy Artichoke Dip
This recipe for artichoke dip requires only 4 ingredients and less then a half hour to make. It's near impossible to mess up so even new cooks can put out something that tastes great! A tasty addition to a holiday party, ...

Artichokes as Art 

Artichokes on Squidoo 

W is for Welcome 

Did you learn something new about artichokes?

Artichoke Recipes

submit

Culinary Favorites from A to Z on Squidoo 

Inspired by Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone Series

Creative Commons License 

Plagiarism is No Laughing Matter

About the Author 

Lensmaster KimGiancaterino has been a member since October 30 2006, has rated 8,411 lenses, favorited 4,117, and has created 293 lenses from scratch. Kim Giancaterino donates their royalties to Asante Africa Foundation. This member's top-ranked page is "Yearbook Yourself: See How You'd Look in 1950s-1990s Yearbooks". See all my lenses

Explore related pages

Create a Lens!