Sunchoke Daydream

In my day job, the one I am constantly encouraged to not quit, I sell books. Somewhere in between my blogging life and book life, I advise Portland Farmers Market on how to use Social Media. It is the best, most, greatest gig in the world. How often to you get to work with people who want to be create the best of something? It is an inspirational environment to be in. Plus, through the power of Social Media, I get to promote area farmers, ranchers, growers and small businesses to potential customers, allowing them to focus on what they do best – growing and making food.

This week, the Market is hosting a contest over on Facebook and Twitter to see who can provide the best description of a sunchoke/Jerusalem Artichoke in 7 or fewer words. The winner gets a jar of sunchoke relish from the Market’s new vendor, Sassafras Catering. I don’t, I didn’t know all that much about sunchokes before the contest started, but keeping with contest’s guidelines, I will try to post sunchoke facts 7 or fewer words at a time…

•    Sunchoke is called as girasole in Italian
•    Relative of Sunflower, grown for enlarged root
•    Tuber isn’t from Israel, nor an artichoke
•    Native Canadians planted it as a crop
•    The sunflower is native to Peru
•    One recipe – roasted sunchoke & sunflower seeds
•    Popular veg in France, occasionally deep-fried in States
•    Shopping: sans sprouts & bruises
•    Select firm root, similar to purchasing ginger
•    Used in soup or pickled in Vinegar
•    Sassafras Catering likes theirs with sharp cheese
•    Pureed in Piedemontese sauce with garlic, anchovies
•    Inulin, sugar in sunchoke, gives people gas
•    Inulin, unlike normal sugars, is indigestible
•    Color: white, tan, silver, red - occasionally purple
•    Hippies serve with quinoa, call it tabouli
•    Risotto, dip, salsa and other variations possible
•    Usually cooked, try grating raw in salads
•    Flavor similar to artichoke, brazil nut, jicama
•    One enthusiast likens to truffle; he’s wrong
•    Americas eat very few, mostly in south





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