Artichokes are common in Roman Jewish cuisine, particularly the all-time favorite Carciofi alla giudìa, which is deep-fried artichoke. This vegetable is harvested in the coastal areas north west of Rome from February to April.

If you are not used to cooking, much less eating this vegetable, it can be a bit puzzling. The portion of the plant that is edible is the flower buds before they bloom. Once they bloom, they become coarse and not suited for consumption.

Since it is a seasonal vegetable, there is abundance of it during its budding months, and you can go ahead stock up on your supply for use even after season. While this vegetable does not easily spoil, it is best to preserve its quality by vacuum sealing it inside food-grade vacuum bags. Before you put the artichokes in the bag, as they have uneven edges, it is best to wrap them with paper towels. You may then vacuum seal using a vacuum sealer. Read best vacuum sealer reviews 2016 for more information.

The flavors and the freshness are preserved up to 2 years. But you don’t really that long, because months after it is out of season, it will be harvest time again, and more artichokes may be enjoyed.

When Italy is mentioned, what immediately comes to mind? Food, right? Pasta and pizza being the more common favorites. Eating and good food are ingrained so much in their culture that they are one of the countries with famous chefs. What makes Italian food and culture different from others around the world?

The rich Italian culture

Italian culture is rich because it encompasses music, arts, architecture, food and family. Most usually, these different factors all come together when centered on family. When there is family, there is up to be food and good music. When there is good arts and architecture to be celebrated, family comes together. Italians raise their children to remain close to family even in their adulthood, and every birth of every child is good reason to come together and celebrate.

The richness of their culture is also a result of the deep and long history of Italy. It is the birthplace of western civilization. It is also the birthplace of the Roman Catholic Church, the ancient Roman Empire and the Renaissance period. The emergence of laws, religious practices and arts all influence the rich Italian culture of these days.

The diverse Italian cuisine

In Italy, cooking is not just a chore; it is a form of art. A good example is the variety of pasta that varies in shapes, lengths and widths from penne to lasagna to spaghetti. Wine and cheese are important either as part of the meal or as ingredients of the meal.

Because Italy is an economically rich nation and it dates back to the Roman Empire when feasts were common, foods are rich and aplenty using ingredients like meat, grains, spices and vegetables.

Geese are a dominant source of protein for Jews in the olden times. It is this fascination for fowl that has brought Jewish cuisine into other parts of the world, including Italy; in fact, records show that this famed bird is one of the favorites in the papal kitchen in Rome.

Just a quick review on our history, the Jews is a religious group, and more importantly, they are also a national group. Israel is the nation with the biggest population of Jews. It is home to 43% of the huge 14.3 million Jewish population all over the world.

What is special about Jewish cuisine?

Do you know the bagel with cream cheese and lox is strongly associated to American- Jewish cuisine?

Jewish cuisine is an interesting mix of diversity influenced by their religion’s dietary restrictions, their festivals and their Sabbath traditions. And with the migration of Jewish people to other parts of the world, their cuisines have also been inspired by other culinary traditions and the economics of their locality.

Kashrut is the Jewish laws restricting their diet. Ordinarily, the word “kosher” appears on food items that pass Kashrut laws. The word “kosher” means “proper” referring to the process involved in the preparation of the food which is in accordance with Jewish laws.

Jews may not consume pork or shellfish. When preparing or eating food, meat and dairy are to be kept away from each other. In the preparation of meat items, there is a ritual to be followed in the slaughter, and it is to be salted to totally remove traces of blood.

The traditional Jewish meal starts with pickled food used as appetizers. There is then a main meal which ends with dessert.  Titbits (parperet) is eaten before and after the meal. Wine or beer is very important to a meal. They have a saying, “eating without drinking means suicide.”