Have you ever come across the word "cardon" in your life? Many will say what the word "border" or "military outpost" means. Such an answer would be incorrect. Words that sound so similar differ in just one letter but have completely different meanings.
Meaning of the word "kardon"
In fact, this strange word has a completely different meaning and is associated with plants. What is "cardon"? Determining the value can cause some difficulties. This word comes from Latin. Its name is Cynara cardunculus in Latin, Cynara scolymus in Greek. Cardon, or Spanish artichoke, is a plant of the Asteraceae family.
Cynara scolymus means "dog's teeth" in Greek. Cardon got its name because its fruits and leaves have a sharp shape, similar to the fangs of these animals.
Scientists believe that the homeland of the artichoke is the Mediterranean countries. Even in the days of Ancient Greece, many scientific works related to this plant were written. It wandered through the centuries through the Roman Empire to the countries of Europe, where it settled and became part of everyday life.not one generation.
And from there the cardon spread all over the globe. The Spanish artichoke can be found in Asia, Africa, India. It is eaten, used for medicinal purposes, and also grown as an ornamental plant.
A bit of history
There is a myth that says that the artichoke was born thanks to the love of the thunder god Zeus. A mortal girl named Cinara lived on an island in the Aegean Sea. Noticing her, knowing love with her, Zeus wanted to make her immortal.
Cinara was not afraid and climbed Mount Olympus, hiding from Hera's watchful eye. But one day the young goddess decided to visit the world of people and did not ask the permission of the supreme god. For such impudence and disobedience, Zeus turned it into a thorny inconspicuous bush. Since then, he bears her name.
In Mauritania, Neapolitan and Sicily, the artichoke has taken root in monasteries, becoming one of the main sources of food. Thanks to centuries of selective breeding by monks, mankind is familiar with varieties that were bred specifically for high yields.
So what is cardoon for people who lived many thousands of years ago? First of all, it is one of the power sources. Secondly, it is a drug whose healing properties were described by Theophrastus in his works.
Medicine
What did cardon mean for physicians and healers of antiquity? The plant has many useful properties and has been widely used in medicine and cosmetology for more than one thousand years. They also knew about its miraculous propertiesin Ancient China, Greece and Rome.
The Romans treated them with swelling, scurvy, jaundice. Due to its choleretic, diuretic properties, the artichoke was quite popular in the Middle Ages. The main disease of that time - gout - was treated using this particular product.
In the royal courts of Europe, the Spanish artichoke was used as an aphrodisiac. They did not disdain representatives of both sexes. It was believed that by eating a serving of cardoon, you can increase your libido for a long time.
Catherine de Medici, who became the wife of the French king at the age of fourteen, forbade the use of this product to her ladies-in-waiting, fearing the betrayal of her crowned spouse.
Today, the pharmaceutical industry has a wide range of cardone-based products to offer. Due to its choleretic properties, it is recommended for people suffering from stagnation of bile, deterioration of the liver, as well as those with chronic inflammation of the kidneys, kidney failure.
Cooking
Perhaps it is worth recalling that cardoon is a plant that has been a favorite of lovers of gastronomic delights for more than one thousand years. Unripe inflorescences and fleshy stems of the basal part are used for food.
So that the pulp does not give bitterness, it is pre-boiled and peeled. Each housewife has her own recipe for processing unbleached cardoon. Someone adds lemon juice, someone - milk. But the easiest way is to cook in slightly s alted water. meaty partbecomes unusually soft and sweetish (when treated with milk).
In Italy and Portugal, cheese makers have learned to use cardon as a rennet extract for making cheeses from goat's and cow's milk. Culinary experts still prefer to use its unripe inflorescences to prepare various dishes today. For gourmets, it is not only interesting as a special dietary product, but also attractive with its specific spicy taste.
So what is cardon for southern Europeans? It is a long story dating back to ancient times. This is a dietary product with an incredible amount of useful properties. This is an incredible plant that has a lot of varieties. It is safe to say that cardoon is such a plant that has become an integral part of the daily life of many people.
