Ingredient: Artichoke

The globe artichoke is a thistle. It’s a flower bud, picked before it blooms. You’re eating what would have become a big purple burst of petals if it had been left alone.

The ancient Greeks and Romans treated artichokes as a luxury. The name itself came to Europe through Arabic traders, from al-kharshuf, winding through Spanish before landing in English.

Here’s something worth knowing before you serve them at a dinner party: artichokes contain a compound called cynarin that temporarily scrambles your sweet taste receptors. Drink water straight after eating one and it’ll taste noticeably sweet. It’s a well-documented quirk that makes artichoke a nightmare to pair with wine.

Nutritionally, they’re packed with prebiotic fibre that feeds your gut bacteria, plus folate, vitamin C and potassium. Cynarin is also linked to supporting your liver, though that’s more traditional wisdom than settled science.

Fresh artichokes need a fair bit of trimming and prep, and they’re seasonal, mostly spring and early summer. Jarred artichoke hearts are how most people use them, and they’re great. Toss them into pasta, scatter over pizza, blitz into dips, or stir through a warm salad.

Recipes with Artichoke…