Artichokes

Artichokes belong to the thorny thistle family. However, with the right handling, these beautiful plants are not "thorny" at all, but a feast for the senses and health.

Artichokes and mythology

The origin of the artichoke lies in an unpleasant story from mythology. In Greek mythology, Zeus falls in love with the beautiful nymph Cynara. However, she does not return his advances and, full of rage, he turns the attractive Cynara into an artichoke.

Artichoke for eating

The artichoke originates from the Mediterranean region. The plants have been cultivated and are grown today because the inflorescences are very popular for eating. In a sunny location, artichokes also grow well in our latitudes. But now to the consumption of this exciting plant: the lower part of the leaves is made of fine flesh and is often eaten with a dip or vinaigrette. If you hold the leaf on top and brush it through your teeth, you will get the best access to the fine flesh. Once the leaves have been peeled off, you will come across hairy fibers, cut these away and now you are at the heart of the artichoke. The artichoke hearts, i.e. the innermost part of the plant, are considered a delicacy.

Here is a delicious recipe for preparing an artichoke and the matching vinaigrette.

Artichokes as a remedy

Artichokes are said to have various health-promoting properties. It is considered to stimulate the appetite and digestion and helps to digest fats better. It is therefore used in many digestifs or helps to support the digestion of fat when eating a large amount of food. As artichokes can cause flatulence in sensitive people, people with irritable bowel syndrome should be a little careful.

And finally, as you may have already guessed. The aperitif liqueur Cynar owes its name to the beautiful nymph Cynara.

Have fun at your next aperitif, why not with antipasti artichokes?