In the Americas they get carciofo all wrong! Carciofo is often filled with stringy hair and that’s because they are just too old. Here in the south, the carciofo takes on another life; they are wonderful, perfect to say the least and plentiful.

carcofi-carcofi-carcofi – ‘The blossom of the thistle passed from Naples to Florence in 1466 and carried by Filippo Strozzi. Towards 1480 it is noticed in Venice, as a curiosity.’ The artichoke is closely related to cardoon, a cross between a flower, tomato and artichoke.

The earliest description of the cardoon may come from the fourth-century BC Greek. Cardoon was popular in Greek and remained popular until the early part of the last century. Carciofo in south of italy are wonderful, especially when young and tender, ready to eat or preserve.

This was a visit to one of my suppliers, carciofo it is, and they cannot get much better.