Roger,
I speak not of Topinambour.
Jerusalem artichoke mis-called
from Girasole, a sunflower
in cockney parlance badly mauled.
That tuber caused intense confusion--
far from carciofo, mixed somehow--
since each links in daisy-chain’s profusion.
The tuber hides its evil power.
Was that the dog or was it me?
Nobody moves a muscle but
since every diner well may be
the culprit, they all blame the mut.
________
*Helianthus Tuberosus
Topinambour
related to sunflower and wrongly called
Jerusalem artichoke because its flavour was
perceived by some to resemble the
Cynara Scolymus
carciofo= globe artichoke used for carciofi alla giudia.
Girasol is Spanish for “turn to the sun”
sunflower. Jerusalem is a corruption of girasol.
________
I cannot tell the history of Rome.
For centuries the city was the home
of many Jewish people, though dissension
and persecution grew with mounting tension.
Their gift to gastronomic poetry
is praised by Romans with sincerity.
Belli, the Roman people’s sonneteer
wrote of the dish all Romans hold most dear.
There’s not a single christian king or prince
who hasn’t always loved carciofi since
carciofi alla giudia came to be
a symbol to all of Rome’s sublimity.
Nun c’e principe o re, cristiano che sia
che nun magni carciofi alla giudia.
[This message has been edited by Janet Kenny (edited June 01, 2004).]
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