23/10/2026
Artichoke
· The Macallan Double Cask 12 YO
· Cynar 70 Proof
· Dolin Vermouth Rouge
· Winestillery Tuscan Vermouth
· Campus Russo Artichoke
· Mandarin and Coffee Amaro
The artichoke is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, characterised by large, deeply lobed grey-green leaves and a flower head protected by fleshy bracts.
Known since ancient Greek and Roman times, it was prized both for its culinary uses and for the medicinal virtues attributed to it by physicians such as Dioscorides and Galen. During the Renaissance, its cultivation spread across Europe, establishing it as a cornerstone of Mediterranean horticulture.
Employed in herbal medicine for its cleansing and liver-protective properties, the artichoke owes much of its efficacy to cynarin, a bitter compound that stimulates bile production. In the kitchen it is remarkably versatile, eaten raw, braised or fried and used in countless regional dishes.
The flower heads consist of tougher outer bracts surrounding a tender inner core, commonly known as the artichoke “heart”. Although the plant requires mild winters and good exposure to sunlight, it is remarkably adaptable and resilient.
The artichoke is most widespread throughout the Mediterranean basin, particularly in Italy, Spain and France, but is also successfully cultivated in North Africa, the Americas and the Middle East.