THE ARTFUL ARTICHOKE

vegetable that really comes to life once cooked. How anyone ever discovered this is a conundrum. It’s considered a perennial thistle, characterized by prickly petals, and only parts of the artichoke can be consumed. The outside of the artichoke bulb features green petals, which, for the most part, are stringy, fibrous, and not ideal to eat. The edible portion is at the bottom of the petals, where there’s a tiny bit of soft flesh. The outermost layers tend to be the toughest — the leaves get softer as you get closer to the center. Once you reach