In article , Paul Taylor
writes
Hi,

I have some globe artichokes for the first time this season. They look to
be growing on nicely at the moment. Is it coming up to harvesting time for
this vegetable?
The globe heads will be ready to pick when the outer leaves begin to
open out. Don't leave them any later, or the artichoke will begin to go
stringy.

Also, what's the best recipe for cooking these things? - I've never
eaten one before.

Joan says: Trim the base of the head from any of the stem it was on.
Snip the sharp spikes from the tops of the leaves. Boil the head
complete in salted water for 15-20 mins. Serve the head on a plate with
a knob of butter at its centre. Pull off the leaves one at a time and
strip off the flesh at their base through your teeth. When the leaves
are gone, remove the fibrous material left on top of the artichoke -
you'll need a side plate to dump all the removed stuff on to. The
artichoke is a thickish pad of flesh, roughly lifebelt shaped. Add salt
or butter as required, cut chunks off and eat them. It is incomparably
delicious, well worth the twelve months taken to grow them.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.