Artichoke

Unlike most vegetables, only a very small part of the artichoke is actually edible — the very bases of the "leaves" and the interior heart. The heart of the flower is topped with spiky bristles or hairs that would be unpleasant to consume, and the leaves are extremely tough and fibrous.
The artichoke is a giant thistle flower bud. It is sometimes called the globe artichoke, or French artichoke to avoid confusion with the sunchoke, which is an entirely different plant that sometimes goes by the confusing name "Jerusalem artichoke".Artichoke hearts are often sold in a pickled or preserved form, and served as part of an antipasto dish at the beginning of a meal.

Selection and Storage
High-quality artichokes are usually compact and heavy for their size. Squeezed, a fresh artichoke will make a squeak. The thickness of each stalk should correspond to the size of the artichoke. Thin stalks signal dehydration, so look for stalks that are firm without “give.”
Artichokes remain fairly constant in appearance for weeks, but flavor is adversely affected from the moment they are cut from the stalk. For maximum taste and tenderness, cook as soon as possible. Do not stock up on artichokes. Refrigerate unwashed, in a plastic bag, for up to 1 week.

Cooking
Start by cutting the thorns off with kitchen scissors. Note that "thorn-free" artichokes, besides having far less of the edible part, generally do have little hidden thorns that are hard to remove.
Artichokes should be very well cooked. This is required to soften them enough to eat. Unlike most vegetables, artichokes should be cooked until they darken.
Artichokes may be boiled, microwaved, steamed, or pressure cooked, although steaming is best. When steaming, spread the leaves a bit and place the artichokes stem-end-up to ensure that plenty of steam gets to the inside. Be sure that the water doesn't boil dry during the long cooking period. Microwaving is essentially steaming; cover the artichokes and add a bit of water.

Seasonality
Most species of Artichoke have their peak season in spring, but most species produce all year round (with some having their peak in autumn), especially in locations closer to the equator. Atrichokes harvested in the winter and spring will be globe-shaped, whereas artichokes harvested in the summer and fall will be more conical.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 60 and protein 4gms.Good source of Vitamin A,Vitamin C,Calcium ,Iron,Fiber and Potassium.Mostly filled with Carbs.