Artichokes

- Scientific name: Cynara cardunculus
- Root part edible
- Brought to California 1600s
- Marilyn Monroe crowned artichoke queen in 1948
- Leaves closest to the heart are most tender
- Store in a plastic bag unwashed and do not refrigerate
- Species of thistle
- Six months to grow for harvest
- Cook within 5 to 7 days after purchase
- Can be produced from seeds
- Can also be made into an herbal tea
- Primary flavor of the Italian liquor Cynar
- Can grow many places
- First developed in Sicily, Italy
- Did not become widely used in California until the 1920s
- Many varieties each with a slightly different taste
- Can be cooked many different ways

The artichoke is a thistle plant native to the Mediterranean. Artichokes grow in the wild in southern Europe and are grown in the United States on artichoke farms. Most artichokes in the United States are grown in Monterey County, California.
What They Look Like

The leaves come up from the base and are long and somewhat spiny. The stem grows up to three feet high and branches off with large heads that are violet or white. A thistle type flower grows at the summit of the branches. The heart and leaves of the immature flower are the parts we eat.
How to Choose

When selecting an artichoke, choose the ones that have tight leaves and are dark green. If the leaves are to far open then the artichoke is past its prime.

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Artichokes on Amazon
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- Reese Artichoke Hearts 6-8, 14-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12) - $39.12
  
  6-8 Medium size. Product of Spain.
  
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  Product of Peru.
  
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  Historic Highland Park is an exploration of the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Highland Park by one of the many bands that lives and makes music here: Artichoke. Here's what...
  
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Artichokes Questions

How do you grill an artichoke? 3 Answers

It's a three-step process. First, as in doing anything with an artichoke, you have to trim off the stem the really hard stuff outside. Then, you have to b... read more

How do you cook Artichoke? 1 Answer

It's not as scary as it looks! Cut 3/4 inch off the top & cut the stem down to about an inch. Rinse it in running water. Put a few inches of water in a l... read more

Does anyone know what/how to cook Jerusalem Artichokes? 1 Answer

Jerusalem artichokes, or sunchokes, have a taste similar to artichoke hearts, although they're not related. Select clean, firm roots. You may want to remove any... read more

Does anyone have a recipe for spinach or artichoke mac and cheese? 1 Answer

Sunshine recipes has a great baked version for mac and cheese with spinach. http://www.sunshinerecipes.com/bakedmacaroniwithcheeseandspinach.shtml RecipeZaar h... read more

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Artichoke Cookbooks
- Booksamillion.com: The California Artichoke Cookbook
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On Twitter Powered by Twitter
- Artichokes take so long to grow, who eats them anyway?
- Christ. Jerusalem Artichokes should be re-classed as WMD's.
- http://twitpic.com/qiofb - Weiser Family Farms/jerusalem artichokes
- Ralph's outside harvesting Jerusalem artichokes. So far the 24 tubers we started with have filled three 15-gal containers!
- The jerusalem artichokes are beginning to "act up". Hilarious consequences are bound to ensue.
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