(no subject)

[some_stars]

Today I cooked an artichoke for the first time, and I'm sorry but I don't understand how that counts as "food."

Comments

[minoanmiss]

Whole artichokes are... difficult. They're more of a tasty activity than a dish.

[rydra_wong]

They're more of a tasty activity than a dish.

This. Love them, but the nourishment-to-work ratio is not high.

For a lazier option, you can sometimes buy jars of artichoke hearts preserved in olive oil (usually with a bit of vinegar and herbs). Good quality ones are wonderful.

[st_aurafina]

Ugh, so much yes to this. 'Choke' is in the name for a reason.

[azurelunatic]

They are a side dish, and mostly a substrate for butter.

I enjoy the flavor, but it is a hell of a lot of work.

[vass]

Never tried it myself, but I'm told they're less "food" and more "butter vector".

[brownbetty]

I grew them in my garden one year. Fun fact: if you have ever thought: "But self, where will I find a million aphids on a Sunday evening?" the answer is "on an artichoke." I had never before had a problem with aphids. I had never seen aphids in my garden. Two artichokes later: two million aphids.

They took up about three square feet of my garden, and produced, in total, about three ounces of edible material.

I mean, parsley doesn't produce much edible material, but it also doesn't take up a square foot per ounce.