Grower
Seasons/Availability
Cocktail Artichokes are available year round with a peak season March through May. The fall crop peaks in October.
Current Facts
After eating artichokes, some drinks may taste sweet. Chlorogenic acid and cynarin, compounds found in artichokes, can impair taste buds' sweet receptors. Even though water, milk and wine inhibit this reaction, they will taste sweet when consumed while eating artichokes. Since not everyone experiences this very strange "Artichoke Effect", as it is called, it possibly may be genetic. If you take drinking wine seriously, you may want to pass up the artichokes when a vintage wine is served.
Description/Taste
Similar to the bigger variety and produced on the same plant, where artichokes grow on the plant determines their size. Cocktail-size artichokes grow in the shady part of the plant and are protected from the sun's rays as sunshine tends to make artichokes grow larger. Trimmed properly, every part is edible since these tiny artichokes have no choke. Cocktail artichokes offer a milder flavor than larger artichokes and are tenderer.
Nutritional Value
Two ounces of artichoke contain about 25 calories, protein, carbohydrates, potassium, vitamin C, iron, folate and dietary fiber. Artichokes benefit women taking birth control pills which rob the body of folate and vitamin C. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
Simply irresistible, cocktail artichokes may be eaten whole, chopped and added to sauces for pasta or tossed in stir-fries. To trim a baby artichoke to make it entirely edible, cut the stem to expose the tender membrane. Using the same technique as peeling an apple, trim the base. Trim the tips of the tiny leaves in the same manner as peeling a potato until the artichoke is a pale cream color and about half the original size. This artichoke's small size is just right for marinating. Serve as a side dish with poultry, meat or fish entrées. Excellent hot or cold, enhance their natural flavor with lemon juice, favorite seasonings or fresh herbs. To store, place in a plastic bag; refrigerate up to one week.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Smaller varieties of artichokes are especially popular in Italian and French cuisine.
Geography/History
Artichokes are one of the oldest foods eaten by man. First cultivated in the Mediterranean basin thousands of years ago, artichokes were brought to America by Italian immigrants and planted by settlers in Louisiana. Spanish settlers later took them to the coastal part of California where today almost all artichokes available in the United States are grown in the compatible coastal areas of California around Monterey County. Castroville, California, claims the title of the artichoke center of the world. Absolutely loving a foggy atmosphere, the nightly fog from the Pacific Ocean makes Castroville an ideal location for growing premium artichokes. Even though the climate conditions are not as ideal as in California, Italy, Spain, France and Greece, in that order, are also major producers. Marilyn Monroe was crowned the first Queen of the Artichokes in l947.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
Featured Recipes
Recipes that include Cocktail Artichokes. One
is easiest, three is harder.
