Artichokes Revisited: From Reluctance to Curiosity

Each spring and fall, the artichoke taunts me with its unique shape. I love it on pizza, I gravitate towards spinach-artichoke dip, and I consider myself to be very adventurous in the kitchen. I challenge myself to try new recipes, to experiment with ingredients unfamiliar to me, and often it is rewarding. That has not been the case with artichokes, which remain so far, my culinary challenger.

What Exactly Is an Artichoke?

The globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is the immature flower bud of a thistle, a member of the Asteraceae family, which it shares with sunflowers and daisies. Beneath its tough, green bracts (those we usually call ‘leaves’) lies the tender heart and the soft, edible portion at the base of each petal. Botanically speaking, if you let an artichoke bloom, it will develop into a brilliant purple flower—proof that your “vegetable” is really a flower in disguise. That is the fuzzy part that we must remove before eating!

Artichokes are perennials and farmers usually replant a plot only after 5 to 10 years of production.  They thrive in mild, frost-free climates with cool, foggy summers and moist but well-drained soil. According to the University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the ideal growing temperature ranges between 59° and 75° F. This explains why this hardy vegetable has two short seasons, appearing on market stalls in early spring and early fall.

A product of warm, sunny lands

Artichokes are a Mediterranean crop through and through. Italy, Spain, and Egypt are the world’s top producers, accounting for over half of global production (FAO, 2023). Within the U.S., California dominates, producing nearly 100% of the nation’s commercial artichokes, primarily along the temperate central coast near Monterey and Castroville (the latter proudly calls themselves  ‘The Artichoke Center of the World’).

According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. artichoke production hovers around 70,000 tons annually, with an annual crop value exceeding $70 million. California’s coastal microclimate, rich soils, and ocean fog make it uniquely suited to artichoke cultivation. Emerging production also occurs in Arizona and Washington State, though at smaller scales.

So, how do we eat it?

Choose an artichoke that feels heavy for its size, with tightly packed leaves that should squeak slightly when pressed. They should be vibrant green—a slight bronze tinge is fine but avoid any that are dried or split.

Don’t be intimidated, the artichoke’s layers are part of its charm. To prepare, start by trimming the stem, removing an inch of the tip, and, with a pair of scissors, snipping any thorny tips of the bracts that might still be at the edges.

Then you must decide how to cook it: you can and steam or boil the artichoke for 25–40 minutes until the outer leaves pull away easily. Alternatively, halve or quarter the artichoke, drizzle with lemon, oil, salt and pepper and roast on a tray until slightly charred and golden.

Enjoy it slowly, as this is a laborious food. Pluck each leaf, one by one, dip in melted butter, olive oil, or aioli, and scrape with your teeth the tender flesh at the bottom. This is one of the few Western foods that are usually eaten with hands, even in formal settings. If you are hosting, remember to offer a bowl for people to discard the leaves after scraping.

Enjoy the heart!

Boiled, steamed or roasted, the heart is waiting for you at the very end. An artichoke heart is a delicacy: soft, nutty, and slightly sweet. If you cooked it whole, this is when you will find the ‘choke’, the inedible, fuzzy flower at the very core (if you halved it, you can remove it before cooking). Remove carefully with a spoon and enjoy the heart as is, or reserve for your next salad, pasta or quattro stagioni pizza.

As for me, after reviewing these steps, I know that I’ll try once more. I am decided; I’ll master this glorious vegetable.