Globe Artichoke

About

The globe artichoke, botanically a thistle flower, has a complex flavor and contains a compound called cynarin that temporarily blocks the tongue's sweet receptors. When those receptors reactivate after a sip of water or wine following a bite of artichoke, the contrast makes the drink taste unusually sweet, which is why artichoke is considered difficult to pair with wine. This can be managed with bridging ingredients, or by pairing it instead with Cynar, an Italian artichoke-flavored liqueur.

Pairs well with globe artichoke

• CiLemonIn Rome around Easter, whole deep-fried artichokes (carciofi alla giudia) are eaten hot with lemon wedges.
• EaPotatoJerusalem artichoke was named for its flavor resemblance to globe artichoke, though the two plants are unrelated, and Jerusalem artichoke…
• BeMintMint lightens globe artichoke's earthy intensity -- most notably in carciofi alla romana, where trimmed artichokes are stuffed with…
• MaShellfishGlobe artichokes contain cynarin, a compound that gives them a slightly odd, artificial sweetness -- shellfish's cleaner, saltier…
• MePorkIn France and Italy, whole artichokes are sometimes stuffed with minced pork or sausage meat pushed between the leaves -- fussy to eat,…
• BrBaconThe pairing appears in a rich baked pasta dish, rigatoni tossed with pancetta, artichoke bottoms and a Parmesan béchamel, topped with…
• ChHard CheeseIn Italy, raw baby artichokes are shaved paper-thin and tossed with olive oil, lemon juice and shaved Parmesan for a bitter, sharp, salty…
• MeLambGlobe artichoke has a flavor often compared to asparagus or broccoli stalk but with a dense, velvety texture, almost like the foie gras of…
• GrPeaThe 19th-century Italian cookbook writer Pellegrino Artusi has a recipe for artichoke-and-pea pie: parboiled artichoke bottoms and peas…
• MaOysterThe pairing of artichoke and oyster dates back at least to a 17th-century Italian manuscript describing small artichokes baked into pies…
• BrProsciuttoThin, salty-sweet prosciutto plays well against artichoke's chewy texture and faint bitterness -- a combination sometimes served simply as…