|
 Artichokes
Artichokes
are three types of vegetables. When
unqualified, the term "artichoke" nearly
always refers to the globe artichoke, of
which the aboveground part is eaten, in
contrast to the other two, where a root part
is eaten. The word artichoke is taken from
the Arabic ارضي شوكي (ardi shauki) or ارضي
شوك (ardi shauk), meaning literally,
"ground-thorn." |
 The
Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L.) is a
species of thistle. The edible part of the plant is the base
(receptacle) of the artichoke head in bud, properly called a
vegetable as it is harvested well before any fruit develops.
With regards to America, it was first brought to California by
Italians in the 1880s, and is farmed mostly in that state.
The Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus
tuberosus is a species of sunflower. The edible part of the
plant is the tuber.
The Chinese artichoke Stachys
affinis is a species of woundwort. The edible part of the plant
is the tuber. |
|
 The
Jerusalem artichoke
Also called the sunroot or
sunchoke or topinambur, is a flowering plant native to North
America grown throughout the temperate world for its tuber,
which is used as a root vegetable.
Despite its name, the Jerusalem artichoke has no relation to
Jerusalem, and little to do with artichokes. The name Jerusalem
is due to folk etymology; when the Jerusalem artichoke was first
discovered it was called Girasole, the Italian word for
sunflower. The Jerusalem artichoke is a type of sunflower, in
the same genus as the garden sunflower Helianthus annuus. Over
time the name Girasole transformed into Jerusalem, and to avoid
confusion people have recently started to refer to it as
sunchoke or sunroot, which is closer to the original Native
American name for the plant.
 The
artichoke part of the Jerusalem artichoke's name comes from its
taste of its edible tuber, which is a cross between a radish and
a artichoke.
The tubers are gnarly and uneven, vaguely resembling ginger
root, with a crisp texture when raw. Unlike most tubers, but in
common with other members of the Asteraceae (including the
artichoke), the tubers store the carbohydrate inulin (not to be
confused with insulin) instead of starch. For this reason,
Jerusalem artichoke tubers are an important source of fructose
for industry. The carbohydrates gives the tubers a tendency to
break down and dissolve when cooked, in addition to giving them
a legendary facility to produce flatulence.
Jerusalem artichokes are sold in the produce departments of many
supermarkets. The freshest roots are plumpish and vibrant in
appearance. If they are left too long in the open, they become
wrinkled and soft and can develop a bitter taste.
History
Jerusalem artichokes were cultivated by the Native Americans
(who called them "sun roots") long before the arrival of the
Europeans. The French explorer Samuel de Champlain found them
being grown at Cape Cod in 1605.
[edit]
Cultivation
Jerusalem artichokes are trivial to cultivate, the ease of which
tempts gardeners to simply leave them completely alone to grow.
However the quality of the edible tubers degrades unless the
plants are dug up and replanted in fertile soil. This can be a
chore, as even a small piece of tuber will grow if left in the
ground, making the hearty plant a potential weed.
If it's
not an artichoke and it's not from Jerusalem
Where in the
world did the name come from? One theory holds Jerusalem
is a corruption of the Italian girasola, meaning "turning
toward the sun," a reference to the sunflower. Another theory
involves another garbling of the Ter Neusen, Netherlands
area where the sunchoke was originally introduced to Europe.
Artichoke comes from the Arabic al-khurshuf, meaning
thistle, another reference to appearance of the above-ground
foliation. These days, you'll find them marketed under the less
foreign sounding name of sunchokes. Whether you refer to it as
Jerusalem artichoke, sunroot or sunchoke, the tubers have a
delicate flavor that is slightly sweet and nut-like, similar to
jicama and water chestnuts.
The Jerusalem artichoke
(Helianthus tuberosus L.) |
