Good username/post! Seriously though, got a link to that poem?
I live in Arkansas, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fresh artichoke. I’ve never seen frozen, either. Just artichoke hearts in glass jars.
I know some canneries which sell their organics to composting companies, to farmers or to companies making animal feed, different kinds of refuse go to different places. I’ve never asked what happens to artichoke tops, stems and leaves specifically tho.
Hearts is all the restaurants ever serve. They taste a lot like heart of coconut, which is what we have in my country so I thought “good, but nothing special.” I kinda like the cream-cheese-artichoke dipping sauces they serve in Greek restaurants.
How do you get the anchovies to eat the eggplant?
Slice chokes in half. Scoop out feathery/fluffy/spiny crap on the inside. Steam/Boil for 10 minutes. Remove. Drain. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and whatever else. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. Enjoy.
I’ve only eaten artichokes the way the OP describes it. I’ve never had hearts.
A lot of people must do this – I still see artichokes being sold in supermarkets.
Oh, and it doesn’t have to be dressing -0- you can use melted butter.
You will be hard-pressed to find a bigger artichoke fan than I, and I have personally introduced them to many friends and boyfriends over the years.
But you have to admit a few things:
- They are a hassle to eat leaf-by-leaf and not everyone thinks it is worth it
- If you are dipping it butter, mayo or dressing (almost a requirement) you are getting a LOT of calories
- They aren’t easy to cook unless you know the “trick” to checking to see if they are done in the center (sticking a fork through the stock and seeing how soft it is)
- They are fucking expensive, at least everywhere in the US that I’ve seen, except for a couple times a year.
So as much as I love them, love to cook several in a big pot and make a nice garlic butter dip for them, they are a once a year treat if even that. It’s really not so hard to see why people have never eaten anything but pickled hearts at salad bars and on pizzas and such.
Thanks for reminding me of my Chevy Vega.
Now there was a cheesy vehicle.
Pickled artichoke hearts are OK by me.
This, which applies to lobster and crab as well. If someone else does all the work I’ll eat them, but I don’t like them enough to do the work myself.
I’m a fairly adventurous eater, but I do live in the heartland/upper south and they’re not common as dirt around here so I haven’t had a lot of opportunity. I’ve stood looking at them in the grocery store without a clue what do to with them so here I am, one of the great non-artichoke eating unwashed. But like most people, I’ve eaten plenty of the canned or jarred artichoke hearts.
Invite me over and feed me one; I promise I’ll eat it.
Growing up in New England, I had never had one until one of my aunts cooked one while I was visiting once-- but I was in my 20s by then. Flash forward a few years, and I’m living in CA and everyone thinks they’re the bee’s knees. They can be OK, but it’s an awful lot of work to scrape a tiny bit of food off a leaf. I would never order one, but will partake if it’s a shared appetizer.
The aperitif is called Cynar. I like it but some say it tastes medicinal. Artichokes have a chemical in them that causes whatever you eat or drink immediately after to taste sweet, called cynarin. I thought I remembered reading that not all people are sensitive to cynarin, but can’t find a cite right now.
I love artichokes but my SO doesn’t, so I eat them rarely despite their being cheap and plentiful in California. And at least one person I’ve educated, because I discovered that after much happy gnawing of leaves they were unknowingly throwing away the heart. Travesty!
I have no idea why they are only commercially grown in California, they are a weed, and can be grown in many areas of the country. I grew them here in Connecticut about 6 years ago. Because of the snow and freeze they were not perennials but we grew them as annuals.
PlainJane, I barely have the guts to post here at all given how awed I am by the average intelligence level evident on the SDMB. If I get brave sometime, maybe after a couple of glasses of vino, I will post it.
When I was little, I would eat the leaves and then offer the heart to the rest of the family. Needless to say, I didn’t need to ask twice!
Sweet? About anything I eat or drink after artichokes (boiled or fried) tastes bitter 
Only way I’ve ever eaten artichokes was on pizza quattro stagioni…
Fresh steamed artichoke, opens up a completely new taste bud…sorta like a natural MSG, but you cant really pin it down what it is. It’s not a flavor, it’s a Sensation. 
That is the same as Cucumbers are to Pickles. Two different things altogether.
I like the pickled ones for a quick snack.
add some tarragon to the melted butter - artichoke heaven!!!