The name aphrodisiac is derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. From ancient times, there have been foods that were believed to increase sexual prowess and desire, and food historians tell us that ancient Greeks were not immune to promises of improved performance and stamina, and heightened pleasure.
The legend of artichokes goes like this, the first artichoke came about
because of a lovely girl. This beautiful young girl lived on the Island
of Zinari. The Greek God, Zeus was visiting his brother Poseidon one
day when he was leaving, as he emerged from the sea, he spotted this
beautiful young girl, Zeus sees the opportunity and seduced her. They
got along so well, he decided to make her a goddess, so that she would
be closer to his home in Olympia. The young girl became the goddess
Cynara and visited Zeus whenever his wife Hera was away. However, the
young goddess soon missed her family back on mortal earth. So she would
sneak back for a visit. Unfortunately for Cynara, Zeus discovered her
escapades. Zeus was enraged. He hurled her back to earth and with a
strike of a thunderbolt, and transformed her into the plant we know as
the Artichoke. Coincidentally, the Latin name for Artichoke is Cynara
Scolymus. Besides their history in Greek mythology, Artichokes have other
aphrodisiac qualities, they have a high mineral and trace element
content. Artichoke origins dates back to the time of the Greek
philosopher and naturalist, Theophrastus (371-287 B.C.), who wrote of
them being grown in Italy and Sicily. The
Greeks called them kaktos. Globe artichokes are known to have been
cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 9th century. Egyptians
believed that the artichoke enhanced sexual power and aided in
conception. In 16th Century Europe, only men were allowed to consume
artichokes because of their reported libido-enhancing qualities. In the
16th century, Catherine de Medici (1519-1589), married to King Henry II
(1519-1559), of France at the age of 14, is credited with making
artichokes famous. She is said to have introduced them to France when
she married King Henry II in the mid 16th century. The French Court
considered Katherine De Medici scandalous for eating such a large
quantity of artichokes but her husband wasn't complaining. Henry the
VIII was extremely fond of artichokes as well.
The "Book of Nature,"
by Dr. Bartolomeo Boldo in 1576 said, "Artichokes have the virtue of
provoking Venus for both men and women. For women making them more
desirable, and helping the men who are in these matters rather tardy."
Artichokes were brought to the United States in the 19th century, first
to Louisiana
by the French and then to California by the Spanish. Today
California provides nearly 100% of the U.S. crop. Approximately 80% of
that is grown in Monterey County, where Castroville California
proclaims itself to be "The Artichoke Center of the World", and holds a
huge
annual artichoke festival. In 1947 Marilyn Monroe, still going by her
given name Norma Jean, was crowned Castroville's first Artichoke Queen.
Now it was a surprise to me that, even though we eat it like a
vegetable. artichokes, are not really a
vegetable. They are the large flower bud, of a kind of thistle in
the sunflower family. That's why the artichoke has a
slightly nutty flavor. Once the flower matures, the Artichoke becomes
inedible so the buds are harvested by hand before the purple flowering.
Artichokes
are large plants, like sun flowers, they grow three to five feet. They
have long, great green leaves and tall stalks, in which the spiky
flowers bloom. If Artichokes are allowed to fully bloom, the petals
open up to reveal a purple pink flower top.
For our health, the
total antioxidant capacity of artichoke flower heads is one of the
highest reported for vegetables. Cynarin, an active chemical constituent
in Cynara, causes an increased bile flow. The majority of the
cynarin found in artichoke is located in the pulp of the leaves, though
dried leaves and stems of artichoke also contain it. This diuretic
vegetable is of nutritional value because of it's an aid to digestion,
strengthening liver function and gall bladder function, and raising of
the HDL/LDL ratio. This reduces bad cholesterol levels, which
diminishes the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
The artichoke is being examined in research labs to explore its
phytochemical contents. Two of these compounds, cynarin and silymarin,
possess powerful antioxidant properties that may be beneficial in
helping the liver to regenerate tissue growth. That our ancestors
considered the artichoke an appetite stimulant is no surprise. Research
has found that the phytochemical cynarin truly does stimulate the taste
buds. It's also responsible for bringing sweet flavors to any foods you
eat immediately after eating the artichoke. Fiber is a prime feature of
this food with one medium artichoke supplying a hearty 6 grams.
Dieters can also enjoy the artichoke for its low count of only 60
calories. With it's delicate taste, artichokes are also a heavyweight on the protein
chart offering 4 grams. The artichoke is a no-fat, no cholesterol treat
that offers a host of vitamins and minerals including magnesium,
chromium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and calcium. The
vitamin A content soars to 212 IU. For the B vitamin, niacin, it
supplies 1.20 mg while vitamin B6 offers .13 mg. All-important folic
acid adds up 61.2 mcg and vitamin C provides 12 mg. Artichokes are a
good source of calcium measuring 54 mg while iron supplies 1.5 mg.
Magnesium climbs to 72 mg while potassium scores an impressive 425 mg.
Even zinc makes an appearance with .6 mg. Because
artichokes are so well endowed with nutrients and phytochemicals, many
health researchers believe eating them could contribute to the
prevention of certain types of heart disease, cancer, and birth defects.
You
should select Artichokes that are deep green, and those that feel heavy
for their size. A tight leaf formation is also a good thing to watch
for. A test of freshness is to squeeze them. That should produce a
squeaking sound. Size has very little to do with the flavor. Make sure
the leaves aren't dry and open they should be plump and tight. I guess
what intrigued me most as a child about cooking, and eating artichokes
was the process. You didn't just rinse chop and throw in them in a pot
like other veggies. You had to wash, and carefully trim, because the
damn things would stab you. This is a big deal when your a kid. Then you
had to prepare and stuff the leaves then steam them. Then you got to
eat your way through the leaves to your reward at the center. There are
as many recipes for cooking artichokes as there are artichoke leaves. My
advise is; try them all! For what it's worth here's my recipe:
1. Trim the stem down to the base and discard, You could boil and eat them but I don't.
2. Trim the tips of the leaves, the barbs with a pair of scissors.
3. Rinse them thoroughly, bugs like to crawl in them. Then turn upside down and drain for a few minutes.
4. Prepare a Dutch oven type pot with about 1-2 inches of water and a vegetable steamer tray.
5. Slice some Parmesan cheese into small squares, and garlic small enough to fit between the leaves, and rinse some bay shrimp.
6. Gently part as many leaves as you can, and insert 1 piece of each. (cheese, garlic, and shrimp) to each leaf.
7.
After the Artichokes are stuffed, arrange them on your steamer in your
pot and steam for approx. 2hrs. Keep an eye on the water level and add
water as needed. When you can pull a leaf easily from the Artichoke THEY
ARE READY!!
8.Enjoy...
9. Continue until all of the petals are removed.
Science has shown that pantothenic acid, is the reason for artichoke's sexy reputation. Artichokes tonify the liver, which governs nervous system response, so eating artichokes increases our response to stimulus, and increased response to stimulus means increased arousal, which means...
Now as for their verifiable aphrodisiac qualities, speaking from
personal experience I can't remember a time that I prepared Artichokes
when a romantic interlude didn't ensue, truth be told. Which is probably
the reason I took this point of view in writing this article. Romance, my friends
as we all know, has a lot to do with how you set the table, if you know
what I mean. Believe what you want, but the only way to know for sure is
to give it a try. What have you got to loose. At the very least you're
in for a great tasting low calorie, high nutrition meal. The rest of
the night well... that's up to you. Good Luck...Making Invisible Ink With Artichokes:
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