34. Artichoke Flowers and Mock Strawberries
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Artichoke Flowers
The other day I noticed some vibrant purple flowers with intimidating stems poking through one of the florist huts on my normal bike route home from work. I foolishly thought they were protea, but was quickly corrected by the florist and told they were artichoke flowers. Upon closer inspection I realised how obvious that fact was.
The Globe or French artichoke is the large variety most commonly eaten in in the Western world. Although if you happen to be in Italy in February, like Nico and I (just before the world fell into covid), you can find a few different edible varieties for sale in farmer stands along the road - at least in Campania where we were road tripping for valentine’s weekend. I tried to find a photo but we were too busy taking photos of every negroni we drank and pizza to take a few of the giant mound of artichokes we bought and ate with every meal, apparently.
negroni sbagliatos in Pioppi & 50 kalò - best pizza in Napoli, don’t believe Eat Pray Love
Artichokes need to be harvested before they flower, once their flowers open up they are too thick and fibrous to eat. The stalk of the artichoke is a bit sticky and leaves a bitter residue on your hands. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal when the florist told me, but later when I was cooking, even though I had washed my hands, I licked a bit of sauce off my finger the bitter taste still overpowered. Let me tell you it is awful. But the flowers are a stunning centrepiece, I would love to one day see them growing and flowering in a garden <3
Mock Strawberries
Some of you may remember my confusion about the berries growing in between ground bushes in the neighbourhood secret gardens a couple weeks ago. I was walking there this weekend with Nico, his sister and her friend (and Lulu of course) and we saw even more flourishing. After some brave taste testing (they grow at rat level and also dog pee level…so I didn’t dare), my sister-in-law deemed them not fraises des bois as she previously thought, but mock strawberries. Mock strawberries grow facing up, their seeds are on the outside and easily fall off when you pick them. They also have no real taste.
Les Fraises des bois are really common in France, throughout summer and early autumn. Last year was the first year I really noticed them, growing in Nico’s aunts garden in Orléans and in the farmer’s markets around the Midi-Pyrénées. They must be gently hand picked as they squish easily (similar to mock strawberries) and are tiny and adorable. They, like mock strawberries, grow close to the ground and should only be picked in places where you know they will not have been contaminated by animals (wild or domestic). Fraises des bois must be eaten as close to picking time as possible, since they spoil extremely easily.
Fraises des bois last summer in Orléans and Figeac
*sorry if I have used these photos before, I literally cannot find any others of these elusive fraises*
a small bowl of les fraises des bois from the market, to the left of the straw basket
Mock strawberries contain medicinal qualities. Their leaves can be decocted as a tea that eases swelling or crushed as a poultice and used similarly, or for boils, burns, abscesses. Although the berries lack taste, this blog suggests that they have a very high vitamin C content and can be used in baking if you are low on other berries. I think the added sugar in baking has to do with it being okay to throw some fake strawberries in there. If you are quick, I was not, you can catch the short flowering period in early spring and use the flowers to make a tea that promotes blood circulation.
Nico also sent me this quick video, which was very informative as well and entertaining:
Mock strawberries growing in patches near our apartment
Harvested leaves and berries
Some things nourishing me this week:
saturday morning market with Nico and Lulu <3
hollyhock season
the babies in mornings when I work from home
fennel update: one rotted and died and the other is doing well, still can’t find marigolds at the plant store though…but the petunias seem to be helping!
sunday morning crepes by Nico
Donate! to! Planned! Parenthood!
See you next week or possibly the week after since I am traveling to Italy….if Schiphol makes it possible to leave. <3 thank you for being here and remember
