Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchoke)

Our farm-fresh jerusalem artichoke is grown without synthetic pesticides in Lineville, Alabama and harvested at peak flavor. A fresh, local favorite for the Alabama table. Sold fresh through local Alabama delivery, farm pickup, and our farmers-market stand.

• Grown in: Lineville, Alabama (no synthetic pesticides)
• Freshness: Harvested at peak and sold fresh
• Availability: Seasonal - local Alabama delivery & pickup
• Storage: Refrigerate and enjoy fresh
• Why it's good: Nutrient-dense and picked at peak freshness

• Storage: Unwashed in a loosely closed bag in the crisper. They are thin-skinned and dry out fast in open air
• Shelf life: One to two weeks in the crisper. They soften rather than rot, and a slightly soft tuber still cooks fine
• Washing: Scrub hard with a brush under running water. The knobs hold soil in every crease, and peeling them is more trouble than it is worth.
• Using: Roast them whole in a hot oven until the skins blister, or slice them raw and thin into a salad for a water-chestnut crunch. They also blend into a silky soup.

Is this related to an artichoke?
No. It is a sunflower, and the part you eat is the tuber at the root. The name is a long-running mistranslation. Sunchoke is the more honest name and the one you will see on menus.

Why do they give some people gas?
They store their carbohydrate as inulin rather than starch. Your small intestine cannot break inulin down, so it ferments further along. Some people notice nothing and some notice a great deal - start with a small portion the first time.

Does cooking make them easier to digest?
Long, slow, moist cooking helps, because it breaks some of the inulin down into simpler sugars. Slow-roasting or simmering for an hour is gentler on you than a quick raw slice, and it tastes sweeter too.

Do I have to peel them?
No, and we would not. The skin is thin, it goes tender with cooking, and trying to peel around all those knobs costs you half the tuber. A stiff brush and cold water is enough.