Artichoke Folklore

1. On Feb. 20, 1948, a young starlet named Marilyn Monroe stopped in Salinas, Calif., for a diamond-ring promotion. While there, she was crowned Artichoke Queen. While she wasn't the first Artichoke Queen, she was likely the most famous.
2. According to folklore, the juice of an artichoke, pressed out before it blossoms, will restore the hair on a bald head, but it's unclear if you are supposed to rub it on your head or drink it.
3. Around the beginning of the first century, Greek and Roman royalty ruled that commoners may not eat artichokes.
4. Early Greeks recommended that women desiring to bear a male child should eat large quantities of artichokes.
5. In the 16th century, eating an artichoke was reserved only for men. Women were denied the pleasure because the artichoke was considered an aphrodisiac and was thought to enhance sexual power.

Artichoke Facts

1. California produces nearly all of the nation's supply of fresh artichokes.
2. Artichokes are one of the oldest known foods. They were cultivated in the Mediterranean thousands of years ago.
3. Artichokes were first planted commercially in California during the 1890s by Italian immigrants near Half Moon Bay.
4. While an artichoke is not a powerhouse of nutrition, it is low in calories and sodium and contains no fat or cholesterol.
5. One plant can produce up to 30 chokes of different sizes.
6. Although fresh artichokes are available year-round in most markets, prime season is in spring, from March to May in the northern hemisphere.

Artichoke Links

All About Artichokes
Artichokes.net
Artichoke recipes
California Artichoke Advisory Board
Gourmet Sleuth