An artichoke is an unopened flower bud of a plant consisting of large fleshy scales. It belongs to the Aster family, mankind has known this culture for about 5000 years, the ancient Romans and Greeks wrote about it, then pickled artichokes were the lot of kings and the rich. In ancient Rome, this flower was the food of aristocrats, it was canned with honey, vinegar and cumin. In ancient Egypt, artichokes were also known, they were adored by the nobility. In the Mediterranean, artichokes are stuffed with breadcrumbs, herbs, tomatoes, chili peppers and olives. Greek mythology tells about the origin of the artichoke! According to legend, Zeus once fell in love with the beautiful Cynara. She was a mere mortal, but God called her to his Olympus. However, the girl soon missed her family and dared to visit them. Zeus got angry for this, threw him to the ground, and Cinara turned into the very plant that we know as "artichoke". Just one bud supplies 7 g of fiber to the body. This is 23-28% of the daily intake. With a high value, the plant is low-calorie: it has only 60 kcal per 100 g. But there is a relatively large amount of protein in the culture – 4 g per 100 grams. For plant foods, this level is above average. Artichoke is a real storehouse of chlorogenic acid. It is an antioxidant that helps to relieve inflammation, reduce the risks of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular pathologies. The plant contains vitamins such as A, E, B1, B2, B6, B9, C. They are also supplemented with minerals: fluorine, copper, zinc, iodine, iron. Such a complex explains the useful properties of artichoke. Artichokes are an indispensable attribute of some types of pizza. In addition, pickled artichokes are usually added to the first, as well as to the second dishes. Small cones are ideal for snacks, medium-sized artichokes for stewing and frying. The fresh artichoke core is cut into the thinnest pieces and added to salads. They are wonderfully combined with rice dishes, for example, with Italian risotto. In its raw form, artichoke tastes like an unripe walnut. Gourmets compare artichoke to taste with walnuts or green peas. Lovers give it a grassy-nutty flavor. But this is only a distant analogy, the true taste of artichoke does not look like anything, it is quite bright and specific.