Artichokes, the immature flowers of a member of the thistle family, are one of the nicest things about winter in Central Italy; they appear with the leaden skies of December and accompany us through the beginning of spring, in April. They come in a tremendous variety of shapes and colors, from tiny delicate ones well suited for being eaten raw in pinzimonio, to purplish green medium-sized Morellino artichokes, to Carciofi Romaneschi, the large round artichokes shown here, which are ideally suited for stuffing.

No matter which variety you select, you have to do so with care, because a fuzzy choke is a tremendous disappointment. Like a good orange, a good artichoke will feel firm and solid when you pick it up. It shouldn't give if you squeeze it gently, nor should it feel light. If it does, it probably has air (and fuzz) in its heart. Pass it by. Once you have selected your artichokes and gotten them home, stand them in a vase with water until you're ready to use them (they are flowers, after all). If need be you can keep them like this for a day or two, but they tend to toughen with time.

How to Prepare Artichokes and More:
Preparing Artichokes the Italian Way
Stuffed Artichokes: Several Variations
Grandma Rosi's Stuffed Artichokes
Artichokes Stuffed with Mint
Artichokes Stuffed with Pancetta
Preparing Artichokes (Text Instructions) & Roman Artichokes
Many more Artichoke Recipes

Artichokes Elsewhere on About:
Crawfish-Stuffed Artichokes with Lagniappe
Barley and Feta Stuffed Artichokes
Cream of Artichoke Soup
Artichoke Kebabs

Note: Carciofi Romaneschi often have little artichokes attached to their stocks, and for this reason Tuscans call them Mamme -- Moms.