Choke on this: Adventures with Artichokes Quiz

Answer: Flower bud

The artichoke is actually a member of the thistle family and, if left on the plant, the artichoke bud will develop into a spiky purple flower. But don't let that happen! There are so many ways to eat an artichoke. You can steam it, boil it, roast it, grill it, stuff it; there's artichoke pesto, artichoke pizza, artichoke dip, artichoke soup - well, you get the idea. Artichokes also join the extensive list of foods that are considered to be aphrodisiacs.

Answer: Mediterranean countries

Well, everything else in the world may have originated in China (or Scotland), but the artichoke is believed to have first been cultivated in the Mediterranean area, with Sicily and Carthage (Tunisia) being frequently credited. They were known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, with Pliny the Elder referring to them as "one of the earth's monstrosities." Artichokes thrive in the Mediterranean climate, and this region supplies the bulk of the world's artichoke crop.

Answer: Castroville

Castroville has a legitimate claim as the artichoke capital of the U.S. - it supplies the majority of U.S. artichokes; however the main artichoke producers in the world are Italy and Spain, so claiming to be the "Artichoke Center of the World" is a bit cheeky.

In 1947, Norma Jean Mortenson (or Baker or Dougherty, depending on the source) was elected the first Artichoke Queen in Castroville. She had a fairly successful modeling and film career under the name of Marilyn Monroe, but it probably paled in comparison to her glory days of vegetable hawking.

Answer: Sunflower

Unlike a globe artichoke, it's not the flower of the Jerusalem artichoke that is eaten - it's the tuber (the chubby root). They are actually in the same order as globe artichokes (both thistles and sunflowers belong to the order Asteraceae), and they have a bit of an artichoke flavor - hence the name.

The title "Jerusalem" is believed to be a mispronunciation of Girasole, the Italian word for sunflower. They have a similar texture to water chestnuts and work well in salads and stir-fries, but beware - they have side-effects: 17th century botanist John Goodyer claimed that they "cause a filthie loathesome stinking winde with the bodie" (17th century spelling left intact...).

Answer: Scottsdale Community College, Arizona

The Fighting Artichoke movement started in the 1970s when a group of students became disgruntled about the amount of money being spent on school athletics. The school administration decided to improve morale by allowing the students to vote on a mascot.

The Fighting Artichokes won, and despite protests from athletes who cringe at being known as "The Chokes", the name stuck. Incidentally, if you're interested in being a Choke, the two-year college offers many degree and certificate programs including Dance Technology, Equine Science and Electronic Music.

Answer: Pablo Neruda

Twentieth century Chilean poet Pablo Neruda published various types of literature, some of which were very political (he won the Lenin and Stalin Peace Prizes in the 1950s). But his most memorable works were poems that dealt with simple topics - odes to bird-watching, clothing, the smell of wood, olive oil and to that magnificent vegetable, the artichoke.

He saw it as the warrior among the other wussy vegetables (rough translation). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971 for his body of work, but it was probably the artichoke poem that sealed the deal (Scandinavians like pickled foods, and pickled artichoke hearts are very tasty).

Answer: Cibo Matto

The Japanese duo of Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori released the song "Artichoke" on their 1996 album "Viva La Woman", which also included the songs, "Beef Jerky", "White Pepper Ice Cream" and "Know Your Chicken". The lyrical highlights included "My heart is like an artichoke. I eat petals myself one by one." Sean Lennon, John's son, joined the band in 1997, but sadly, the group called it quits in 2001, leaving a void in the musical food world (luckily, we still have "Weird Al" Yankovic).

Answer: a Greek goddess

According to the Baby Center website, Cynara is a Greek name meaning "thistle" (probably only bestowed on babies whose personality is already apparent at birth). But Cynara was also the first artichoke! She was a mortal babe who caught the wandering eye of Zeus.

He decided to make her a goddess, but she grew homesick and returned to her family. This infuriated Zeus, and he took his revenge by turning her into an artichoke.

Answer: New York City gangster who cornered the market

Ciro "The Artichoke King" Terranova was a New York City gangster born in Corleone, Sicily in the late 1800s. He had a corner on the California artichoke crop, buying at a low price and then "persuading" the dealers on the East Coast to buy exclusively from him at a 30 to 40 percent markup.

He made sure he held his monopoly by destroying the crops and inventories of non-participants to his operation. NYC Mayor Fiorella La Guardia intervened by temporarily banning artichokes in New York, and Terranova was finally brought down by the collapse of his vegetable empire. Luckily, the artichoke prohibition was short-lived, and there was much rejoicing among artichoke connoisseurs.

Answer: They are fresh

Since you are now all peckish for an artichoke, here are some tips for buying a good one. You want a fresh choke, and the fresh ones will squeak when rubbed together. You also want one that feels solid and that has firm brachts (petals) that are packed tightly. Brown marks on the outer leaves are usually a sign of frost damage but don't affect the quality of the choke (but avoid the ones that are totally brown and shrunken - they've seen better days). Make sure you thoroughly wash the choke, getting between the brachts where bugs like to hide. Dry it upside down.

Then find a good recipe to suit your taste and enjoy!