As the brilliant colors and lingering warmth of autumn give way to winter's chill, so the bounty of harvest vegetables is replaced by salad greens and early vegetables. One of the tastiest and most unique of these vegetables is the artichoke (Cynara Scolymus), carciofi in Italian.

Few of those who enjoy artichokes realize that they are actually the flower buds of a derivative of the cardoon plant, whose distinctive leaves adorn many works of gothic art.

Some History
Originating in Sicily, the artichoke was introduced to the French diet in the early 16th century, thanks to Caterina de' Medici who apparently couldn't get enough of them and ate so many that she "cuyda crever" ("could burst", in medieval French). So strong an impression -or imposition- did she make on the French cuisine and culture, that the artichoke was even mentioned by Rabelais. Its migration most likely began, however, with the ancient Greeks who cultivated and improved upon the wild cardoon found on Sicily. This wild cardoon, in turn, originated in North Africa.

What's in an artichoke
The most delightful part of the artichoke is its heart, which has a nearly nut-like texture and a distinctive but delicate taste. The leaves are prized for their pleasantly bitter taste, as well as their nutritional value. An extract with medicinal properties is made from the leaves and used in the making of liqueurs.

In Italy, artichokes are grown in the sunniest regions: Sicily, Sardinia, Lazio and Liguria where the season begins in December and January. The most flavorful artichokes are undoubtedly the small ones with spiny leaves, whereas the meatiest are the larger, round-leafed variety known as 'Roman', the most common outside of Italy.

Two ways to eat carciofi "au naturel"