Artichoke

Cardoons are a member of the family Asteraceae, commonly known as the Aster family of the genus Cynara L. or Cynara P. This genus contains two species: cardoons, or Cynara cardunculus L. whose common name is cardoon, and the globe artichoke.

There are lots of good reasons to eat seasonally: when fruits and vegetables are fresh, their nutrition is at its peak, and it’s more environmentally sustainable, for starters.  Ayurveda encourages eating seasonally too, and if you’re growing your own food, then it just makes sense to eat seasonally.  But it can be difficult to eat the fruits and vegetables that are in season if they’re new to you, or if yo

If you’re anything like me, you probably go through phases from time to time. When I say “phases,” I mean periods of time where you crave greasy and/or sugary junk food, and cringe at the thought of eating something even remotely healthy. It’s okay; it means we’re human.

It’s come to my attention that not many people know how to cook or eat an artichoke. I’ve made artichokes for friends throughout the past year and they’ve all needed an explanation on how to eat this complex — but worth it! — vegetable. While the artichoke may look intimidating, it’s actually a pretty easy dish to cook, and eating it can feel like a fun activity, especially when several people are involved and throwing leaves into the same bowl.