🫶 How to Tame the Mighty Artichoke

If there’s one veggie that’s both ridiculously good-looking and slightly intimidating, it’s the artichoke. All those layers! All those spikes! It looks like something you’d need a medieval toolkit to eat.

But don’t worry, we’re veggie experts and we’re here to turn your artichoke anxiety into artichoke confidence.

🌿 What is an Artichoke, Anyway?

Believe it or not, an artichoke is actually a flower bud, specifically, the unopened bloom of a type of thistle. If you let it grow, it’ll burst into a big purple bloom that bees adore (but your dinner guests might not).

When picked young, those tight green petals hide a soft, nutty, buttery heart that’s considered a delicacy. It’s the bit chefs swoon over, and once you’ve tried it, you’ll get why. You might’ve even dabbled in artichoke hearts from a jar… but nothing beats the fresh stuff. 

🚜 Straight from Koo Wee Rup

Our artichokes are coming to you fresh from Cafresco Organics down in Koo Wee Rup, Victoria, the same farm that provides our delicious asparagus. These legends grow them spray-free, and in rich, nutrient soil. No nasties in our ‘chokes, just good old-fashioned love ‘n’ quality dirt.

📜 A Little Bit Of History

Artichokes have been around forever. The ancient Greeks and Romans considered them a luxury food, something fit for the gods. Fast-forward to the 1500s, and Catherine de Medici brought them from Italy to France, and they quickly became the ‘it’ veggie of European royalty. (Because nothing says “I’m real fancy” like eating a flower bud with a fork.

💜 Nutritional Properties

Artichokes are loaded with:

• Fibre – keeps your gut happy and your belly full.
  
  
• Antioxidants – they actually rank among the highest veggies for antioxidant content.
  
  
• Folate, Vitamin C & K, and Magnesium – all the good stuff for your brain, bones, and energy.
  
  
• Plus, they’re known to support liver health by boosting bile production, protecting against oxidative stress, and aiding in liver cell regeneration and detoxification.

🥄 So… How Do You Eat the Thing?

This is where most people panic. But cooking artichokes isn’t hard once you know how. Once you learn to boil and scoop, it’s actually kind of therapeutic.

You’ll need:

• 1 fresh artichoke
  
  
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
  
  
• 2 Tbsp butter
  
  
• Lemon juice
  
  
• Grated parmesan (optional but highly recommended 😋)
  
  
• Salt (for the water)
  
  

How to make it:

1. Trim it up: Cut off most of the stem (leave a bit so you can easily grab it out of the water later). If the tips of the leaves look a little spiky, you can snip them with scissors.
   
   
2. Boil it: Pop your artichoke in a pot of salted boiling water, making sure it’s fully submerged. Cook for about 25–35 minutes, or until the outer leaves pull off easily. (You can also steam it if you prefer, for about the same time.)
   
   
3. Make the dip: Melt your butter in a small pan, stir in the minced garlic, and finish with a good squeeze of lemon juice. 💛
   
   
4. Feast time: Pull off a leaf, dip the base in your garlicky butter, sprinkle a little parmesan (if you’re feeling fancy), and gently scrape off the soft, meaty bit with your teeth.
   

When you reach the centre, you’ll find a fuzzy layer (aka the “choke”). Scoop that out with a spoon to reveal the best part — the tender artichoke heart. Dip, sprinkle, repeat.

(Recipe sourced from Alexa Santos - @alexawhatsfordinner.)

We promise: once you’ve conquered one, you’ll be tossing those hearts into salads, pasta, and antipasto platters.

💚 Final Thoughts

Artichokes might look a little unapproachable… but they’re actually big softies at heart (literally). 😏 And when they come from a place like Cafresco Organics, grown with care and zero chemicals, you’re getting maximum flavour and nutrition.

We dare ya to grab some and have a crack at cooking it! Grab a knife, roll up your sleeves, and channel your inner Italian nonna. You’ve got this.