Curiosities about the Sicilian artichoke
What are the origins of the Sicilian artichoke?
The origins of the Sicilian artichoke are uncertain. Some claim that it arrived in the West thanks to the Greeks, but the origin of its name suggests that it originated in Arab countries. The name, in fact, derives from the Arabic word خرشوف (kharshuf).
Artichoke cultivation was introduced to Sicily around 1446 where the plant found the south-eastern part of the island its ideal climate to thrive.
Thanks to widespread cultivation, Italy has become the world's leading producer and consumer of artichokes.
There are numerous legends and stories surrounding the Sicilian artichoke, discover them reading our article.
When to buy artichokes?
Artichokes can be bought both in autumn and spring as there are many varieties with different flowering times.
Mainly artichokes are divided into two large groups: uniflorous and re-flowering.
Uniflorous artichokes can be purchased from March to June while re-flowering ones are harvested between October and November and from March to May.
Re-flowering artichokes
Among the re-flowering varieties, the Catanese Violet Artichoke. This variety has no thorns and its bracts are predominantly purple in colour with some green shades towards the ends of the vegetable. With an intense and aromatic flavour, this variety of artichoke is used in cooking both cooked and raw.
Going up the boot we find the Carciofo Brindisino IGP cultivated in Apulia for more than 300 years. The outer bracts are green in colour with violet hues, while the inner bracts are light green but very soft and tasty; ideal for the preparation of numerous recipes (Link artichoke recipes).
Continuing our ascent of Italy, we move to Sardinia where the variety Carciofo Spinoso di Sardegna PDO. This variety also has no thorns and has a green colour that fades to purple.
A final re-flowering variety is the Violet Artichoke of Provence which is cultivated in Liguria. Like the Carciofo Violetto Catanese and the Carciofo Spinoso di Sardegna PDO, this variety has no thorns, but unlike the latter it has a deep green colour.
Artichokes uniferi
In addition to the re-flowering varieties, the most popular varieties in spring include the Carciofo Romanesco del Lazio IGP, the Carciofo Violetto Toscano and the Carciofo Violetto di Chioggia.
The Carciofo Romanesco del Lazio PGI has become a symbol of Roman gastronomy with the famous recipes for artichokes alla giudia and alla romana. This variety is characterised by the large size of the vegetable and its colouring ranges from green to purple.
The other two varieties are closely related in that the Violet Artichoke of Chioggia also known as Carciofo Violetto di Sant'Erasmo comes from the Tuscan Violet Artichoke.
The St. Erasmus violet artichoke over time, it has become accustomed to the climatic conditions of the Veneto region and grows exclusively in the Venetian lagoon as it has found the perfect climatic conditions for its prosperity in this part of the region.
How many varieties of Sicilian artichoke are there?
In addition to the Catanese violet artichoke, other varieties of artichoke are cultivated in Sicily, one of which is Artichoke Spinoso di Menfi whose origins date back to the 19th century. In the town of Menfi, 9000 hectares of land are dedicated to agriculture, 600 of which are devoted to artichoke cultivation.
Another place well known for the cultivation of innumerable varieties of artichoke is the town of Niscemi in the province of Caltanissetta,land of the artichoke nostrale used for the production of our artichoke bitters (link artichoke bitters page). In 2022 the Niscemi artichoke became a Slow Food Presidium, confirming the island's first place in the ranking of regions with the most Slow Food Presidia. Unlike the other varieties, the nostral It must be consumed within a few days of harvesting as it tends to wither very quickly.
What are the parts of the artichoke called?
How do you keep artichokes fresh?
There are two main techniques for keeping artichokes fresh.
The first is to cut the stem end at an angle and place them in a jar of water in a cool place or refrigerator.
The second is to place the vegetable in the refrigerator wrapped in a piece of moistened paper.
How do you say artichoke in Sicilian?
In Sicily, the artichoke is called cacòcciula, a term that first appeared in a document dating back to 1416.
The term is often used in Sicilian idioms such as feeling poop or putting on airs.
Benefits
What are the benefits of artichokes?
Artichokes possess innumerable nutritional properties including fibre, minerals, vitamins and cynarin. Specifically, iron helps improve oxygen supply to cells as it stimulates the production of haemoglobin. Copper is very important for the proper functioning of the immune, nervous and cardiac systems. Cynarin is derived from caffeic acid, which determines the bitter taste of artichoke. This substance is able to lower levels of bad cholesterol but in order to benefit from this property, artichokes must be eaten raw.
From these components derive the innumerable benefits of the artichoke. First and foremost, its diuretic function due to the presence of potassium and cynarin, which contribute to kidney purification.
Artichokes are antioxidants: chlorogenic acid is an excellent ally in fighting free radicals and protecting the body from cellular ageing. This property also helps to protect the body against the onset of possible cancer, especially by counteracting the growth of leukaemia cells.
Among its benefits, which you can find in the published article on our site, there is also the ability to lower blood pressure and fight cellulite.
When not to eat artichokes?
In a well-balanced diet, it is advisable to eat two to three artichokes two to three times a week, preferably alternating them with other seasonal vegetables.
Despite the innumerable benefits of eating the vegetable, there are also contraindications.
The former are aimed at those suffering from gallstones as the intake of artichokes can worsen the condition to the point of very painful colic.
They should not be taken by those suffering from allergies to plants of the asteraceae family. The intake of artichokes is also not recommended during lactation as it may adversely affect the production of breast milk.
Employment
How to clean artichokes?
Clean the artichokes in 5 steps.
To avoid getting your hands dirty, it is advisable to wear gloves.
- prepare a bowl with water and lemon in which to soak the artichokes once cleaned so that they do not turn black
- cut the stem and tip 2-3 cm to remove the thorns
- remove the outermost leaves down to the tenderest ones
- cut the artichoke in half and remove the inner beard
- place the cleaned artichokes in the lemon water prepared in step 1
Once the artichokes have been cleaned, you can take a cue from our article to create delicious recipes.
How to use artichoke waste?
After reading this paragraph, the only waste of the artichoke will remain the thorns.
The leaves and stems of the vegetable are the main ingredients in many recipes.
Artichoke stems can be used to make delicious snacks,excellent to accompany our liqueurs. To make them, you have to peel the stalk, cut it into sticks and boil it for a few minutes. After the stalk has softened further, you have to dip it in flour and fry it in olive oil.
For a more authentic and traditional dish such as the Paesano liqueur recipes you can use artichoke leaves and stems to make a tasty vegetable stock. First you have to sauté some oil and onion, take the unused parts of the artichoke, chop them up, add them to the sauté and let them cook for a few minutes. For a stronger flavour you can fade the whole thing with good white wine. Now simply add the sautéed artichokes to the water and let them boil for about an hour. The last step is to strain the stock and pass the stems and leaves through a vegetable mill to enrich the stock.
