[Sca-cooks] Artichokes was Re: Salty carrots

Terry Decker t.d.decker at worldnet.att.net
Sat Mar 29 05:50:58 PDT 2008


Clifford A. Wright has maintained that the artichoke is a late-comer to the 
vegetable world, and while I do not support his position, he has made a 
strong case.  Curiously, his article, "Did the Ancients Know the Artichoke: 
A Review of the Evidence," has been pulled from his website, 
www.cliffordawright.com , and is currently being revised (probably not to be 
seen until the end of the year).

It will be interesting to see what new evidence he has found.

Bear

----- Original Message ----- 

<clipped>
It is possible that artichokes (Cynara scolymus)
did not exist in 13th C. al-Andalus, and the
cookbook may call for their relative and
predecessor, the cardoon (Cynara cardunculus),
whose stalks (not leaves) were eaten steamed or
braised and which are said to taste rather like
artichokes. On the other hand, the wikipedia
article on artichokes says they were developed in
the Maghrib and introduced to Italy from there
around the 9th C. There's citation for [Watson,
Andrew. Agricultural innovation in the early
Islamic world. Cambridge University Press. p.64]
but that may just point to the development of the
artichoke in the Muslim world.

<clipped>
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)




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