An Ecological delicacy in our cuisine

Organic artichoke is a perennial plant well developed in the Mediterranean countries and highly appreciated in our Diet.

The artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is the result of the artichoke, a plant cultivated for food in temperate countries, belonging to the family Compositae. It is a plant native to northern Africa and southern Europe.

If we go back to Roman times, we record it was already cultivated for food use. It seems the artichoke is from the Kinara, a kind of thistle widely used in Greek cuisine. It is therefore very likely the emergence of artichoke thistle which originated outside the Mediterranean countries.

It should be noted that during the middle Ages the artichoke was not known, it was at this time when the cultivation of the Kinara (Scotch thistle) was gradually transformed to get the artichoke.

Apparently this aphrodisiac vegetable’s name comes from a girl who was seduced by Zeus and was then transformed by him in artichoke.

In France, was introduced by Catherine de Medici, as she consumed it of all possible ways, either raw or cooked, in salads, and braised with a sauce.

Artichoke varieties differ according to the country of origin. In France are characteristic of Camus de Bretagne, the green and violet Laon in Provence. In Spain: Tudela and white Monquelina. In Italy: Espinosa, Romanesco, Brindisimo, francesino. In Chile: cultivae Chilean, Spanish and Argentina. In the U.S.: The Green Globe and the imperial star Emerald.