Artichoke Basics

The artichoke is actually the flower bud of a garden plant that stands 3–5 feet high, has indented leaves, and developed from the cardoon. The artichoke can be eaten prior to flowering; the edible parts of the plant include the bottom, or heart, of the bud and the bases of the leaves (which are technically called bracts but are usually called leaves anyway). The fuzzy choke at the center, which would develop into a flower if the plant were allowed to mature, is inedible. The artichoke grows best in warm climates, where it is a perennial; elsewhere, it is often grown as an annual.

A native of the Mediterranean region, the artichoke was held in high esteem by the Greeks and Romans. During the Middle Ages, it acquired the reputation for being an aphrodisiac, and it became quite rare during this period. Catherine de Médicis was very fond of artichokes and brought them to France from her native Italy when she married the king of France. The artichoke was introduced into America by French and Spanish explorers.

Today, the artichoke is widely cultivated in Italy, Spain, and France, which together represent more than 80% of world production of artichokes. It is also cultivated on a large scale in the western United States, particularly in Castroville, California.

There are more than a dozen varieties of artichoke, differing somewhat in shape and ranging in color from dark green to bordering on blue or violet. The most common artichokes are green with a round head.

Of the many different types of artichokes, the only variety that can be eaten raw is the small purple Provençal artichoke, since it has an undeveloped choke.