Spring is finally sending her beautiful vegetables from the garden to my kitchen. The first and most evocative of these is the artichoke. Carciofi, artichokes, are fiddly to prepare, requiring removal of most of their outer leaves while simultaneously bathing their cut bodies in acidulated water before they bruise and darken. It really is worth the effort.
I love carciofi gently braised with garlic, lots of good oil, a little water, a grind of salt, and handful of torn herbs, eaten straight out of the pot with some crusty bread. I love them creamed in a Spaghetti ai Carciofi, bringing back memories of tiny trattorie in Rome. I love them thinly sliced on a pizza. Mr T does not share my passion: there is something quite odd about that man, which was the subject of my very first post back in October, 2013.
So many of my artichokes now get the ART for Artichoke treatment because he won’t eat them and I can’t eat them all. This arty thing began in the 1990s when Daniella, the sister of a good friend, Sandro Donati, had a photographic exhibition featuring artichokes, beautiful black and white studies which included portraits of her mother: moody, melancholic, and molto Italiano. In that same year, I came across a book, with a forward by Lorenza de’ Medici, with stunning reproductions of works by Giovanna Garzani, ( 1600-1670), an artist who painted delicate still lives featuring fruit and vegetables. These two memories have influenced how I see vegetables. Why stick flowers in a vase when the garden is singing with other more spectacular stems? When I arrange and photograph artichokes, I am really lusting for their creamy bitterness in my mouth.
Other herbal candidates entering my kitchen are given the art treatment too. Broad beans in flower, over grown stems of celery, sage bushes flowering purple, stalks of dark rosemary: ‘There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember.’ There are small tussie mussies of fragrant mixed herbs, bowls of lemons, fronds of wild fennel. Primavera nella mia cucina.
Sadly, I lost three hens to the foxes recently so we’re down to a dozen eggs a day. I sell a few here and there but always keep a basket of eggs in the kitchen, prompting a simple breakfast or a cake for someone. There is no need to refrigerate your eggs unless you plan to keep them for more than two weeks. I don’t clean the shells, if dirty, until I’m ready to use them. Cleaning eggs removes the natural protective layer, the cuticle or bloom from the shell, which preserves their freshness.
This month I have enjoyed researching the breads and sweets of Italy baked for the Day of the Dead, I Morti, on November 1/2. In Australia, Halloween was not celebrated until very recent times. Over the last 10 years, it has slipped into our language, led by commercial interests of course. The whole thing, in Australia at least, seems culturally artificial to me. I am now teaching my little ones about Celtic and Italian customs to counter the purple wigs and lolly bags entering their homes. They listen with wide-eyed wonder. Young Oliver leans in close and whispers ‘slipping through the crack of time’, though he turned up his nose at my Fave dei Morti.
With all the bread I make, the little stove top griller pan with the heavy ridged lid, gets a constant workout. Stale sourdough comes to life when simply grilled and rubbed with garlic and dressed with new olive oil.
Australian Cobram Extra Virgin Olive oil is reliably good, winning prizes around the globe. Last May’s (2016) olive harvest and press has just hit the shelves. Look for harvest dates on your containers of oil. This information is more reliable than use- by-dates. The closer you are to the harvest date, the better the oil. Store large tins of oil in the dark. Decant the oil into clean pouring jars. When visiting an olive oil producer in Margaret River back in 2006, I was informed that adding lovely fresh oil to the oil that has been left in a pouring jar, even if only a few drops remain, tainted the fresh oil with already oxidised oil. Makes sense really.
Melbourne’s cold Spring has seen the return of the hearty soup to my kitchen. This thick meal in a bowl, Zuppa Frantoiana, is a soup which celebrates the first pressing of the season’s olive oil. The soup is layered with oil and grilled bread in a tureen before serving.
Speaking of Sandro, (see somewhere above), I’m including a little clip of one of his joyous Friulian songs. La Banda di Sandro blended traditional jazz with Italian folk sung in the Friulian dialect. Hey, just for fun, and just because I wish he and Judy were back in my kitchen; I know they would eat all the carciofi and then ask for more.
Thanks to Liz, at Good Things, the In My Kitchen series continues. Do check out some of the other kitchens on her site this month. Saluti a Tutti.
ALMOST ITALIAN 
So sorry to hear Mr Fox got his way. It’s always a worry for all of us who keep chickens. Artichokes are the first spring offering for us here in France too and as you say, well worth all the effort. Now it’s Autumn but so dry and so mild that we are still picking tomatoes an figs, aubergines and courgettes, it’s all a bit strange!
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Oh Lovely Susan. Autumn is my favourite season and the best, really, for garden produce as it lingers and ripens. I am always looking forward to Autumn.
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Lovely post. Other than the female form I think vegies are super sexy art forms, just as important to draw them as to eat them! I’d love to share carciofi straight from the pot with you, I also have a refusnik in house so there appearance is rare in my kitchen. Enjoyed the music…
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Drawing them – yes- do I recall that you draw and paint vegetables? I seem to remember a lovely eggplant?
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A beautiful post, Francesca, so lovely! Thank you for the very kind shout out too. I am in awe of your broad beans and that amazing artichoke. Wow. Gah to the fox! Happy cooking my friend, xx
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Thanks Liz, gah to the fox for sure… and other words to that effect.
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I’m with you 100% on loving to use fruit and veg as decorative objects. (don’t tell anyone, but I have been known to buy pears just to draw and photograph them) Some gorgeous images here. So sorry about the foxes taking your hens. My favourite olive oil is Cobram too. And I’m with Sandra, would happily share the carciofi straight from the pot with you!
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I understand that pear thing entirely. And some friends buy quinces to paint. Ah that makes 3 of us around the cauldron of carciofi now.
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Oh it’s all rustic and glorious in your kitchen this month, but particularly the zuppa in your bargain clay tureen! A dozen eggs a day is heaps, even with the fox’s handiwork. I struggle to get through four or five a day! 🙂
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I do swap them for honey. Some to to my three children, some to buyers around the traps. I know I have to many but I do love them. Yes, that tureen was a good find.
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Great tip about not cleaning the eggs. I had probably read that elsewhere but had forgotten. From time to time my friend down the road shares some eggs with us so I’ll make sure not to clean them. I have one lonely artichoke that I’m growing. It’s a spectacular looking plant but nothing is happening in the fruit department. I’m probably in Mr T’s corner when it comes to eating them which is why I decided to plant one and see if I might enjoy one I grew. Still waiting…
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They do make magnificent garden specimens Fiona, very architectural. Next year maybe the fruit will come. You can always pop these in a vase or let them flower purple.
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Well, when I cannot afford to buy my favourite ‘Nuggetty Farm’ olive oil [yippee, there was a gorgeous Yule promotion on!] I also buy Cobram: love their pouring bottle besides the lovely oil!! . . . oh, and I do not mind cleaning artichokes to get to all the good bits 🙂 !! Just past the ‘lovely’ season in that . . .
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Whereabouts are you located Eha? I like to have an image of the place where my blog friends live. Yes, the small local farms with olive oil usually charge an arm and a leg.
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Just over 110 km SSW of Sydney on the rim of the Southern Highlands and almost in the Nattai National Park: pretty but also pretty isolated if you don’t drive yourself 🙂 !! Oh the olive oil is worth every penny – have given some very elegant bottles of Meryl’s as gifts instead of wine and friends have raved . . .
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I am planning to plant artichokes in the garden at Casa Debbio. I love them. I live the look of the plant too, and the little vel you flowers if you let them grow.
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The purple flowers are magnificent and make a great garden statement.
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You say spring, I say autumn… Love those arty artichokes. Just planted a few wild Cretan ones in the garden, hoping the tortoises won’t get to them before they have a chance to produce. So sorry about your hens. Great music to round off a great post.
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Tortoises! Well, we all have our local pests but nothing eats my artichokes- rabbits, parrots, ducks, kangaroos, – nothing will touch them. They are a beautiful plant in the ornamental garden just for their pale green architectural beauty too.
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Fruit and vegetables are just as beautiful as flowers. I’d love a bunch of artichokes!
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I wish I could send you a nice bunch for your vase.
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Wonderful post….always strange to read of Spring in the Southern hemisphere as the leaves are dropping here. Loved the paintings….I have a very unusual copy of Elizabeth David’s “Italian Food” ( in hardback) which is illustrated with an incredible range of early and modern food paintings..https://www.abebooks.com/Italian-Food-Elizabeth-David-Barrie-Jenkins/17821698680/bd
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I think Garzani had an enormous impact on illustrations of the kid found it Elizabeth David’s book. I recall seeing it at some time.
Autumn is my favourite season- far more mellow and gentle. spring here is volatile and this year, almost non existent as the La Ninya cycle of weather makes her presence felt.
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Food as art, lovely. Naughty Mr Fox and I hear you on Halloween.
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Mr Fox fits in with halloween or the day of the dead!
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Certainly a lot of foxy loxies around this year! Very distressing when they make their target too. I love the artistic presentation of fruit and veg, edible artwork. I wish I was a bit more artistically creative as it would be wonderful to produce such stunning pictures. I think you should consider producing some podcast children stories about all the things you are so knowledgeable about. I wouldn’t know where to start to impart accurate but interesting information that is so much more valuable than the commercial approach handed to kids that has nothing to do with true history. Agree about Cobram oil, and yes, it does make sense about adding new to old bottle. I must remember that!
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The history of Samhain is a fascinating one and has as many twists and turns in custom as its modern incarnation. I would like to do some little books for kids- my grandchildren are growing up far too quickly so I should get om with it. Yes, Foxie loxies, and partly our fault too. I thinks some got out and I didn’t notice.
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Food makes the most beautiful art Francesca! Grilled, stale sourdough appears in my kitchen too…it just takes it to another level doesn’t it? The Pan co’ Santi is spectacular. Happy days x
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Yes, grilling sourdough is a great standby for some little antipasti or bruschetta. Thanks Jane.
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What beautiful produce and art. Fruit and veg are certainly wonderful subjects for artwork. I haven’t grown artichokes but certainly enjoy eating them in any form. I’ve got the boys eating them on homemade grilled pizza and am expanding their horizons. So many eggs, how wonderful despite the fox making his mark.
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Great that the boys eat carciofi- I have no customers here!
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I have never bought fresh artichokes and so far have only bought them in a jar! They do look beautiful though at the markets but I feel a little bit intimidated by them! I should get over that I think…!
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what a shame about the chickens and the fox. i don’t think we have them in our neighbourhood, being suburban brisbane. Sorry I have to say we love Halloween in this household:) I keep telling people it’s not american at all but Celtic (and mexican) and therefore as an english colony we are fully entitled to indulge. We should be carving out turnips instead of pumpkins apparently.
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The Mexican version would be a derivation of the Spanish, Celtic version too. The Celtic version is an old traditional celebration, but one that was never transported to Australia. It is the Americanisation of this custom I object to Sherry. And of course we are entitled to use any customs that we like.
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I share your love of artichokes, Francesca. Sadly, a single variety has overtaken our market, although some farmers are trying to bring a few lesser known varieties back. That is what I find so impressive in Italy. You can see many kinds in a market and as one’s season ends, another’s begins. Wonderful! Speaking of wonderful, this post was lovely and a good part of the reason I love IMK posts. Thank you for sharing your kitchen with us.
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Thanks John. It is good to see the lesser known varieties returning. It’s the same with other vegetables and fruit- the supermarkets dominate the buying and determine which ones are grown. It is important that smaller growers, for farmers’ markets or the home, find older varieties to plant.
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Carciofi is the first thing I buy when we arrive in Italy. There is something different about the ones we can get there.
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There are many varieties. eating anything in Italy always tasstes so good.
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Your post is full of so many beautiful images – from the still lifes to the incredible bread – and descriptions. I’d like to try the pizza with artichoke. I guess Mr. T must be quite spoiled.
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Hi Karin. yes, very spoilt. He isn’t usually a fussy man, and enjoys anything I make, even my flops, BUT, he dislikes artichokes, fennel and asparagus. Just three things. How weird!
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From what I see, most everyone would be lucky to eat your “flops.”
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I share your love of Italian paintings of produce, and your appreciation of the beauty of artichokes. Your eggs look wonderful — here in the US we are forced to keep them in the fridge because the law requires that eggs be washed before sale. As you say, it strips the natural coating that would keep them fresh. Too bad for us!
I’m appreciating all the IMK posts. Mine is here:
http://maefood.blogspot.com/2016/11/my-kitchen-november-2016.html
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
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Thanks Mae. I have read that about eggs in the US. There is much debate about the best way to deal with eggs, Europe having quite different laws again. Commercial egg companies wash the coating from eggs, the apply a new artificial one. Supermarkets always make their own laws whereas farmers markets are more natural in approach. Thanks for dropping in this month Mae.
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I’m not into Halloween either, it does feel very commercial to celebrate here, as it’s not something I grew up with.
So many vegetables are so pretty! Rainbow chard looks gorgeous put into a vase in lieu of flowers.
I’ve only ever eaten artichokes preserved from our local Italian deli – they are so yum!
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Love seeing in your kitchen – it has been soups and stews weather until very recently – we had tacos the other night because it just seemed too warm for soup – finally! Your artichoke art is beautiful – our neighbour has artichokes in the front yard and i think they look really beautiful in their garden. I like your approach to day of the dead – isn’t it interesting how many traditions there are at this time of year and yet all the shops are interested in is selling lollies! And your comment on not washing eggs reminds me of my mum rubbing something on the eggs to keep them longer but I cannot remember that name of it!
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Beautiful photos! The link doesn’t work for your first post, but I found it!
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Thanks Mimi for letting me know about the link. All fixed.
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That wily Mr Fox is such a bugger, isn’t he. I’m only every just one step ahead of him, but occasionally not even that.
I love the Garzani images you’ve shared – I will be hunting down more of them.
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Thanks for sharing your great tips on the olive oil and eggs Francesca. I keep my eggs in the fridge as we only eat them on weekends and I always keep olive oil in the dark pantry or dark bottles. My olive oil bottle only gets refilled once completely empty. Love how a griddle pan brings any bread back to life. Hope your remaining hens still happy & producing for you 🙂 Lovely seeing you for IMK x
https://missfoodfairy.com/2016/11/04/in-my-kitchen-november-2016/
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Hey Miss what a wonderful post! Fancy Mr T not liking artichoke .. More for you. Love the images Francesca ..😃 sorry to hear about the fox. I’m so pleased we don’t have them in NZ!
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Lucky not to have these naughty predators. Today though, the crows found the eggs so we have to add some more Fort Knox features to the cages.
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What gorgeous artichokes! The Marito isn’t that partial either, but has learned to eat them somewhat begrudgingly!
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Well suffer Signor Napoli! Eat your carciofi and learn to love them.
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Beautiful post Francesca and love your Arty Artichokes and broad bean styling. The delicious charred look the griddle pan leaves on the sourdough bread certainly brings it to life. Gorgeous soup tureen too 🙂
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Thanks Moya, and still the artichokes keep bearing more…
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Francesca, that song made me tap my toes and smile — what a lively tune and FUN performance! (Loved the lyrics in the subtitles, too.) Your artichoke art — all of your photos — were breathtaking. Garden bouquets are exquisite indeed! Thanks, too, for your recipe for artichokes (very first post) and the story behind your love(s). I’d eat artichokes out of the pan with you any day!
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Hi Kim, Come over and help me eat them all! Glad you enjoyed that folk/trad jazz tune with odd lyrics.
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Hi Francesca, played the video. Such fun.
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Sandro now lives on Flinders Island and so his gigs are few and far between.
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How wonderful to have all those artichokes! Here in North Queensland summer has arrived with vengeance!
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I’m really looking forward to the first hot day, but I know it comes at a price.
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What an absolutely fabulous post that made me envious of those who come into your kitchen, beautiful pictures. I love artichokes and the photos really are very artistic, framable quality.
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