How to Pick out an Artichoke

Photo courtesy of Kiley Melicker

Artichokes can be a bit mysterious, so here’s some guidance on how to know what you’re getting.

Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean, but they grow quite well in similar temperate environments. Here in the Pacific Northwest its pretty common to see artichokes growing in people’s gardens. They often are left to flower, which is absolutely beautiful, and wonderful for pollinators. However, their corresponding human DID miss out on a tasty treat.

Artichoke plant that has flowered
This is what an artichoke looks like when it’s flowered.

The bud of the flower is actually the part that we eat, so when allowed to flower, you really can no longer make a meal out of an artichoke.

When selecting an artichoke, get one that has tight leaves, and little to no browning and discoloration. Most artichokes in grocery stores are quite large, have lots and lots of tough external leaves, and have been sitting around for awhile. You can make a delicious meal out of them, but it requires longer cooking, and more than likely more waste.

Your best bet for beautiful fresh artichokes is from a farmer’s market. We recently did a side-by-side comparison of artichokes from a small farmer and artichokes from a large grocer, and even though the farmer’s artichokes were smaller in size, there was more to eat, and better flavor.

Comparison of grocery chokes vs. farmer’s chokes. Upper right corner and bottom left corner are the grocery chokes.

In the picture above, the top 1/4 of the artichokes have been cut off so you can see inside. You can see how the grocery artichokes have larger, tougher leaves than the market chokes.

If buying artichokes from a small artichoke farmer isn’t a possibility (which is often the case), don’t let it stop you. You can still find perfectly delicious artichokes in a supermarket, and just take some care picking out ones that are mid-sized, with tight leaves that haven’t started turning outward, a nice pointy shape and little discoloration.

Also, try to chow down on them during peak artichoke season. Most artichokes in the United States are going to come from California, where artichokes are grown and harvested year round. However, according to the California Artichoke Advisory Board, they are at their peak from March to May, and once again in October.

Once you have some beautiful artichokes picked out, check out this recipe for Stuffed Artichokes.