To be truthful, artichokes are almost a mystery outside of the Mediterranean: yes, we find jars of them on the shelves of our local grocery stores, but the fresh variety remains a bit of a rarity. Mind, carciofi are a delicacy even in Italy, where they are widely grown, especially in Liguria and in the South.

You find them in winter and in the early spring, but their price is often prohibitive so, while our traditional cuisine is full of recipes to cook and enjoy them at their best, they remain a bit of a gourmet ingredient. Culinary historians, in fact, tell us it’s always been like this: carciofi were never part of Italy’s much-loved cucina povera.