Artichokes!

In writing an essay on artichokes for my herbalism program recently, I reaffirmed my eternal love affair with this glorious vegetable. I really think they're the best part of spring (only potentially rivaled by asparagus.) My best friend Sophia loves artichokes so much she tattooed one on her leg!

We recently planted about 15 artichoke plants in the yard because they're one of the only things the deer won't eat. However, they haven't started really producing yet, so while I wait for my artichokes to grow I decided to share with you some of the history I discovered about artichokes, as well as some of my favorite ways to eat them. Artichokes have a long history as a medicinal food, and for this reason, I'll give you a little bit of that background.

The ancient Greeks and Romans both considered artichokes

a delicacy and a medicine. They were thought of as a "food for the rich" because they combat the illnesses that combat a "rich" lifestyle-excessive fats and alcohol. Studies today have shown that artichokes are excellent for the liver and are also one of the best sources of antioxidants. Because of their bitter nature, artichokes stimulate bile which helps your body break down fats, and helps your liver perform optimally.

Artichokes are also considered an aphrodisiac and have a long history as an "erotic" food. In the 1800's it was forbidden for French women to eat artichokes because they were believed to "warm the genitals" excessively. I also read a juicy story about the "artichoke wars" which happened in the 1920's, when a member of the New York maffia created a monopoly on the artichoke market by purchasing all the artichokes that were shipped to New York from California. He created a produce company and resold all of the artichokes at a higher profit. He then began terrorizing distributors and produce merchants; he even launched an attack on the fields in California- hacking down the plants with machetes in the dead of night! The mayor of New York, Fiorello La Guardia was forced to declare "the sale, display, and possession" of artichokes illegal. He then, however, publicly admitted that he him self loved the vegetable and after only a week he lifted the ban.

Choosing an artichoke

When buying artichokes you should look for fresh,

tightly bound leaves. A trick is to squeeze the artichoke and if it gives a little squeak it means it's fresh. It is very important to buy organic artichokes because conventional artichokes are heavily sprayed. Don't worry about the blackness that sometimes occurs on the leaves- this is just from frost and won't affect the taste in any way. The easiest way to prepare artichokes is steamed. Here is a basic recipe:

To steam an artichoke

First wash the artichokes in cold water. Next trim the end of the stalk (but leave it long if it’s still attached- this is almost as delicious as the heart). Use a sharp knife to cut ½- ¾ of an inch of the top of the artichoke- creating a flat top. This is helpful for steaming, as it allows the steam to more easily penetrate the leaves. It also removes most of the potentially prickly spines. Rub the cut parts of the artichokes with half a lemon. This keeps the artichoke from turning brown.

Place the artichokes in a steamer with water- stems face up. Add quite a bit of water. Add a little squeeze of lemon to the water and bring the water to a boil.

Steam, covered for 20-50 minutes, depending on the size of the artichoke. Keep checking to see if the artichoke is done by either poking the hearts with a sharp knife to see if it’s soft or gently tugging at one of the leaves (be careful not to burn yourself)- if it comes out easily, then the artichoke is done. Always drink your artichoke cooking water! It is delicious and filled with nutrients!

Artichokes can be eaten with a variety of sauces and condiments-different flavored oils, mustard, vinegar, garlic, tahini, etc. One of my favorite ways to eat artichokes is to dip the leaves in a sauce of tahini, olive oil, lemon and garlic. The raw heart and stem can also be eaten in salads.

Garlicky Roasted Baby Artichokes

Baby artichokes are great to eat because they don’t have chokes (the fuzzy inside) so once you remove the tough outer leaves, you can eat the whole thing!

Around 2-3 pounds baby artichokes- pick the ones with the longest stems (these are almost as delicious as the hearts!)

½ a lemon

¼ cup to ½ cup olive oil

10 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped.

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Boil a large pot of water. Meanwhile, prep the artichokes by trimming any brown off the stems. Cut off the top touch part of the leaves- the top ½ inch or so. Then pull off the touch outer leaves- leaving the soft, lighter green inside. If they are fairly small you can leave them whole- if they are slightly bigger, cut them in half lengthwise Immediately place the trimmed artichokes in a bowl of lemon water to keep them from turning brown.

Simmer the artichokes for about 7-8 minutes, then drain.Toss the artichokes with the rest of the ingredients and put in a baking dish or baking sheet- single layer. Bake for close to 10 minutes.

Globe Artichokes with Angelica’s Sauce

(This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks- In Season by Sarah Raven. She proclaims this recipe as her favorite in the book- so while I have never tried it, I’m sure it’s amazing)

1-2 small artichokes or 1 large per person

Sauce:

4 large, hard cooked eggs- shelled removed

1 very large munch of soft green herbs- half flat- leaf parsley and the rest a mix of chives, fennel, dill and or cilantro- or any of these.

2 cans anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped

1 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

black pepper.

Cook your artichoke in boiling, slightly salted water for 40 minutes (reserve this liquid to drink later). Drain them and give them a squeeze to get out excess water.

Roughly chop the ingredients for the sauce. Mix everything together with the oil and vinegar in a large bowl. You won’t need much salt because of the anchovies but add plenty of pepper. Give everyone an artichoke or two on a plate with enough room for a good dollop of sauce.

According to an Aegean legend, the first artichoke was a beautiful young girl who lived on the island of Zinari. The god, Zeus was visiting his brother Poseidon one day when, as he emerged from the sea, he spied a beautiful young mortal woman. She did not seem frightened, and Zeus seized the opportunity to seduce her. He immediately became so infatuated with the girl, whose name was Cynara that he decided to make her a goddess so that she could be nearer to his home on Mt. Olympus. Cynara was excited at the prospect of being a goddess, and agreed to go live near him. Whenever his wife Hera was away Zeus would go to Cynara. But Cynara soon grew homesick and began sneaking back to the world of mortals for visits. When Zeus discovered she was sneaking away from him, he was furious. Enraged, he hurled her back to earth and transformed her into the plant we know as the artichoke- hence it's latin name Cynara scolymus.

To this day, Artichokes possess a divine, sensuous quality for many. Perhaps this sensuousness is because they are the only vegetable that is actually the bud of a flower. Or maybe it’s because the extra work of eating an artichoke makes them taste that much sweeter. Or maybe it is simply because they have hearts.

Kombucha cocktails

The other day I stumbled upon something delicious- herb-infused kombucha cocktails. I came about it purely by accident- I had some kombucha that was overly fermented- it was very tart and vinegary and I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it.

I recently began infusing my kombucha with herbs, upon inspiration from my friend Amy. The result is fantastic! I allow the kombucha to ferment as usual and then when it's ready I put it in jars with several tablespoons of various herbs for a few days in the refrigerator.

With this batch I put some rose petals in one jar, some fennel and elderflower in another, and burdock and dandelion root in the last. I let the jars sit for a few days in the fridge and they became deliciously infused with the herbs, but were still too tart to drink straight.

In wine glasses I mixed apricot juice and rose-infused kombucha and then topped the wine glasses with sparkling water. They were delicious and perfectly tart and sparkling sweet. I also experimented with adding a bit of creme de cassis, black currant liquor and I think you could probably explore the whole world of liquors as an interesting addition. St. Germain elderflower liquor would probably be delicious.

Kombucha is fairly easy to make. The hardest part is obtaining a "mother"- which is the thick, fleshy "mushroom" that converts the sugar and tea to a fermented beverage. You can look on craigslist to find one or ask a friend who has kombucha because once you are making kombucha you will have "babies" coming out of your ears.

Kombucha is a health-promoting, alkalizing beverage that is thousands of years old. It's history is vague- some say it originated in China around 200 BC and then spread along the trade routes to India, Russia and Japan where it was used by samurai to improve their health. Others say it originated in Russia. Wherever it began, it eventually became popular all over Europe, until World War II brought about a shortage of sugar and tea.

It is often thought of as a mushroom but it is actually a fermented yeast enzyme tea. I have read stories of "miracle mushroom" curing cancer, reviving the infirm, and being used as the "elixir of life". Personally, however, I think Americans tend to overdo it with kombucha. Traditionally a small amount, about 3-4 ounces was drunk with meals as a digestive stimulant. Because it is a yeast, which is grown on sugar, it has the potential to disrupt yeast levels in the body, so if a person is already susceptible to candida or other yeast imbalances, it is best avoided. The best approach is to just try it and see how your body responds after drinking it.

The kombucha sold in stores is much more carbonated and intense than homemade kombucha because it has been in pressurized jars and often over fermented. I find homemade kombucha much more mild and delicious, but even so, I only drink small amounts as a tonic.

Adding herbs to kombucha once it is fermented is a wonderful way to drink your medicine. Liver stimulating herbs such as burdock, sarsparilla, dandelion or yellow dock would be good spring tonic herbs. Floral herbs such as lavender, chamomile, rose and elderflower are lighter and more delicious though. The options are limitless.

Here is a basic kombucha recipe.

KOMBUCHA:

1 clean, dry gallon jar

thin cloth such as muslin or several layers of cheese cloth to cover

spring or distilled water

1 cup pure, unbleached white sugar

4 tablespoons unflavored, good quality black or green tea

1 kombucha "mother" culture

1 cup kombucha from previous culture (or store bought)

PREPARATION:

Fill a pot with 8 cups water and bring to a boil.

Turn off heat and add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the tea and let sit until cooled.

Once cooled strain the tea into the jar. Fill to the shoulder of the jar with more water.

Add the kombucha and the "mother". The culture may sit on the top, but it will likely fall down near the bottom- this doesn't matter. The kombucha will begin to form a new "mother" on top and the original will become a baby that you can give away.

Cover the kombucha with the cloth and secure with a rubber band. You want to keep it clean of any dust or outside particles which can cause mold to form on the culture.

Place the jar in a warm place, away from direct sunlight. Near a wood stove, or heater is good. Or sometimes on top of the refrigerator. The ideal temperature for kombucha is around 70 degrees. The colder the conditions the longer the fermentation will take. If the conditions are too warm unwanted yeasts and bacteria may grow.

Try your kombucha in about a week to see how it tastes. (Always use clean utensils so that the culture isn't introduced with bad bacteria.) Keep fermenting longer if it still tastes too sweet. If it ferments too long you can always make cocktails with it!

Once it tastes good, it's ready. You can pour the kombucha off into jars and refrigerate it, which will stop the fermenting process. At this point you can also add herbs. I add about a tablespoon or two to each quart.

Save a cup of the kombucha for the next batch. Take off any extra babies, but reserve one "mother" and start the process all over!

I usually have two jars fermenting at once so that they are ready at different times. Experiment with different teas, different herbs and different locations- it is a living thing, so it will vary depending on all of these factors.