Uncovering the Secrets of the Italian Riviera Artichoke Challenge

 

A tale of two artichokes

Liguria features an all-Riviera duel fought with leaves and thorns - a gourmand challenge between the spiny artichoke from Albenga and the extra tender artichoke from Perinaldo. The two sides of the artichoke are different but delicious.

 

 

Albenga artichoke

Albenga artichoke (Carciofo spinoso – i.e., spiny - di Albenga) features distinctively tender stems and inner bracts, crispy and sweet. Cone-shaped, its outer leaves are dark green with violet hues and yellowish thorns. Less fibrous than its Sardinian cousin, it is a delight to be eaten raw.

Artichokes are a mine of vitamins, minerals, fibres and inulin (the fittest choice for diabetics). 

Back in time, Albenga artichoke was cited – among others - by Count Gilbert Chabrol de Volvic in his report on the main produces of the savonese – a document addressed to Napoleon Bonaparte.

 

Perinaldo artichoke

Perinaldo is a small village in the Crosia valley, nestled at the westernmost tip of Liguria. The area has been famous for its olive groves (taggiasca rules) since the Middle Ages. Yet, it possesses a hidden gem – an excellent artichoke variety - the so-called “Violet" - imported from Provence in the early 19th century (Bonaparte again, according to local lore).
Perinaldo artichoke grows at an altitude of 400 – 600 metres in unique microclimate and terroir conditions (enhanced by fry-stone walls and terraces). Thornless, tender and devoid of inner bracts, it needs good draining, survives frigid temperatures and droughts and does not call for chemical treatments. Harvest season is from May to June.
The Perinaldesi are proud (and jealous) of this gourmet delight, served raw or cooked as a side dish for meat and game. Traditional recipes also account for baked omelettes and fritters. The consortium of local growers, regulated by a strict protocol, produces around 55/60 thousand artichokes - at their best when preserved in oil. 

My English abstract of an article published on LiguriaFood

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