The Book of Household Management by Mrs. Beeton

tablespoonful of salt, a piece of soda the size of a shilling; artichokes. [Illustration: ARTICHOKES.] _Mode_.--Wash the artichokes well in several waters; see that no insects remain about them, and trim away the leaves at the bottom. Cut off the stems and put them into _boiling_ water, to which have been added salt and soda in the above proportion. Keep the saucepan uncovered, and let them boil quickly until tender; ascertain when they are done by thrusting a fork in them, or by trying if the leaves can be easily removed. Take them out, let them drain for a minute or two, and serve in a napkin, or with a little white sauce poured over. A tureen of melted butter should accompany them. This vegetable, unlike any other, is considered better for being gathered two or three days; but they must be well soaked and washed previous to dressing. _Time_.--20 to 25 minutes, after the water boils. _Sufficient_,--a dish of 5 or 6 for 4 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to the beginning of September. [Illustration: CARDOON ARTICHOKE.] THE COMPOSITAE, OR COMPOSITE FLOWERS.--This family is so extensive, as to contain nearly a twelfth part of the whole of the vegetable kingdom. It embraces about 9,000 species, distributed over almost every country; and new discoveries are constantly being made and added to the number. Towards the poles their numbers diminish, and slightly, also, towards the equator; but they abound in the tropical and sub-tropical islands, and in the tracts of continent not far from the sea-shore. Among esculent vegetables, the Lettuce, Salsify, Scorzonera, Cardoon, and Artichoke belong to the family. FRIED ARTICHOKES. (Entremets, or Small Dish, to be served with the Second Course.)