Yes, it was a brave man who first ate an oyster, but what about the person who first ate an artichoke? Can you imagine coming up with the idea to choke down a thistle?

I love artichokes, although I admit that the way I like them prepared completely nullifies the fact that on their own, they’re fat-free, have only 60 calories, and may help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol. Alas, I like them either 1) steamed and dipped in melted butter or jalapeno ranch dressing (I should use Nancy Fox's reduced-fat and -calorie Ranch Dressing!), or 2) in a decadently rich and creamy pasta sauce from Margaret Smith’s Zinfandel Cookbook – think lots of Neufchâtel and Jack cheese, if you please!

Many people believe you can’t drink wine with artichokes. The vegetal taste can be overpowering, and there’s also a chemical reaction that reportedly enhances your ability to perceive sweetness, which can throw off the taste of the wine. However, Zinfandel is definitely a winner with that pasta sauce, admittedly more because of the cheese than anything, but I’ve also found some crisp, acidic white wines such as Chenin Blancs or some Sauvignon Blancs that can hold their own with plainer versions of artichokes.

As glad as I am that someone discovered we could eat ‘chokes, I’m also happy that someone else can grow them. I thought I’d give it a whirl and enthusiastically planted one last year. The leaves grew up and up and were quite happy, but no artichoke. Again this year, happy, healthy, lush green leaves, then finally one little, tiny, itsy bitsy artichoke began to poke up in the middle. That was weeks ago, it’s taller, but still tiny, and I’ve given up … until next year.

Thankfully, Green Family Farms in Lompoc grows righteous artichokes and sells them at several farmers’ markets in SLO County. The gi-normous globes usually cost around $3 each, but they offer up delicious meaty leaves and huge hearts, so to me, they’re worth every penny. Yes, I balked at the cost at first too, but now I’ve been spoiled forever, and have a hard time getting myself to buy those cheap, anemic ‘chokes in the grocery store.

(Above) Green Family Farms' artichokes. The family usually also has baby artichokes in both green and purple varieties (below), as well as asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and califlower.

‘Choke Essentials from the Artichoke Advisory Board website: 

Virtually 100 percent of all artichokes grown in the U.S. come from California. Nearly two-thirds of the State's crop comes from the fog-shrouded fields surrounding Castroville, the self-proclaimed "Artichoke Center of the World," and home to the Castoville Artichoke Festival that began in 1959.

The artichoke is in the thistle group of the sunflower family and can be grown as a perennial or annual.

The vegetable that we eat is really the plant's immature flower bud. Buds appear on the new shoots. The size of the bud is determined by the height of the stalk and the bud's position on the stalk. The largest buds grow at the top end. Mediums grow from side shoots. The smallest, or "babies" grow at the juncture of leaf to stem, hidden away in the morass of leaves.

Harvesting artichokes is very labor-intensive work, and when full, the picking basket (or canasta) can weigh up to 80 pounds.

“Frost kissed” artichokes might not look great with their flecks of brown, but they are among the tastiest and most tender of the year.

Artichoke Tidbits from About.com

Although mankind has been eating artichokes for more than 3000 years, the fall of Rome plunged the artichoke into obscurity until its revival in Italy the mid-15th century. Catherine de Médici, who was married to King Henry II of France at the tender young age of 14, is credited with bringing the artichoke from her native Italy to France, where its success was instant.

In Castroville, California, the artichoke capital of the USA, silver screen siren Marilyn Monroe was named the first Artichoke Queen while on a publicity tour in the Salinas Valley and central California in 1948.

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In other Green Family Farm news … son-in-law Chris Chambers recently opened Dunbar Brewing Company at 22720 El Camino Real in Santa Margarita. So far, I’ve only tasted the Scottish Heavy Ale, but am looking forward to trying the other beers from this tiny craft brewery, especially the ones on nitrogen taps.

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Come check out the SLO WINE AND GRILL AFFAIR: A PERFECT BALANCE OF GRILL AND GRAPE
Second Year of Celebration Features Ten Local Wineries, Ten Grilled Sensations on the historic Filipponi Ranch, Saturday, June 6^th from 12 to 4 p.m. at Per Bacco Cellars, Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo. A benefit for Transition Mental Health Association

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Congratulations to the Far Western Tavern for being named one of Sunset Magazine’s Top 10 BBQ spots, and the new “Santa Maria Valley barbecue blog” was recently featured as one of Sunset Magazine’s “best web finds” on Sunset.com!

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And finally ... to be filed under “I’ll never complain about gas versus electric again!”

Astronaut Sandra Magnus is headed back to Earth on the space shuttle Discovery after months at the International Space Station, where she dreamt up new ways to cook in zero gravity.