Amazing veggies!

As the fall spreads with its morning frost, the vegetable garden flourishes and offers us many vegetables.

Among them, would you feel ready to eat these thistles? Strange idea would you say!

In full splendour, two very close plants await you to help you discover their softness behind their spines.

The first one is a large, chubby inflorescence with pretty purple petals. What we love in it is its “heart” hidden behind leathery leaves and thin, short hair. To reach the delight, you must remove its leaves and then patiently clean it. But in the garden, do not wait for it to bloom, it will no longer be edible!

The second one is more confidential. It reveals wonderful long petioles, (central vein of the leaf) pearly white and fleshy. Once peeled, cooked and prepared, it makes a delicious gratin!
These two plants stem originally from the same wild thistle. Humans  patiently selected them. The artichoke – because yes! that’s it! – for its inflorescence and the cardoon, its big brother, for the large petioles or stalks  of its leaves. Both bear the Latin name of Cynara. For connoisseurs, Cynar is an Italian bitter served as an aperitif and composed of plant extracts including that of artichoke leaves! A good start to a good thistles made meal !