It might be surprising that the old Cynara cardunculus has been consumed as a food item since before Homer recited the Odyssey. But this whorl of bracts does not belong on a plate, right? The prickly scales radiating from the center point are not so much delicious as looking like some scary mutant hybrid of a pine cone and a velociraptor. But all that armor just conceals a cluster of many small flower buds surrounding its sweet, soft heart. Steam it with some garlic and lemon and that beast will be tamed.

07.23.20