Artichokes can be scary at first, but here's how to prepare them.

We're back in business this weekend, with food festivals from coast to coast (actually just on both coasts). And since it's finally beautiful outside, there's no excuse to shy away from amazing opportunities to consume ridiculous amounts of strawberries, artichokes and (as always) alcohol.

Savor: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience (May 16-17, 2008) - Don't be turned off by the pretentious name -- instead embrace the chance to attend a reception-style sampling (it's Washington, D.C., what did you expect?) of over 35 appetizers and 96 craft beers. The pairings look amazing, with duos like Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing's Dread stout beer with pan-seared pilsener sirloin tips with shiitake blue-cheese sauce. I'm salivating. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

The Food and Wine Festival at National Harbor (May 17-18, 2008) - And while you're in the nation's capital, check out the tons and tons of exciting foodie events down on the Potomac River. Attend lectures, panels, tastings and shows, and I definitely wouldn't miss the Maine-style clam bake either. With an emphasis on foods from across the globe (food will be divided by continent in the main tasting pavilion), this definitely seems like an all-hit, no-miss opportunity.

And there are more!

I am eagerly awaiting the opening of my beloved Headhouse Square Farmers Market this weekend, and so this picture caught my eye since I have local and seasonal produce on the brain. I am jealous of Princess Peach, as she has had gorgeous produce at her local farmers market now for sometime. Darn Californians (Don't throw things at me CA folks, I tease because I love). Thanks Princess Peach for adding your picture to our Flickr pool.

Globe artichokes are in season, their spiky green heads peeking out of produce bins, their petals vaguely purple-tinged. Artichokes have long been one of my favorite foods, the special thing my mother would make when I came home from summer camp or on my birthday. But for years, the reason I really loved the artichoke was for its capacity as spoon for melted butter - when else can you publicly scoop tablespoons of hot, salty fat into your mouth, without anyone blinking an eye?

These days I appreciate the artichoke in a variety of preparations, sometimes even swapping the melted butter for vinaigrette or aioli. Perusing the Internet for new recipes, I stumbled upon a treasure trove of ideas at The Gutsy Gourmet, and thought I'd share. There are recipes for Italian stuffed artichokes, Roman fried artichokes, artichoke and crab dip, prosciutto and artichoke sandwiches with rosemary mayonnaise (I am considering having a picnic this week, just for an excuse to make these), and more. Any favorite artichoke recipes from you guys?

Times restaurant critic Nancy Leson comes out of anonymity and announces a new blog to boot, All You Can Eat.

Yes, there are a lot of African-American chefs in Seattle. No, they don't all cook "soul food."

In the kitchen, make good use of Spring produce with recipes for: Marinated Salmon and Spinach Salad, Oven-Braised Cod with Leeks, Fennel and Peppers, Sautéed Artichokes with Crispy Garlic and Sage, Artichoke Bottoms, and Grilled Asparagus Salad.

Brian Carter blends a good bottle, and your petite Syrah questions are answered.

Lidia Bastianich has long been one of my favorite chefs. This may seem strange, given my ardent vegetarianism (and gradual shift toward veganism) and her propensity for meat dishes, but I believe that a good chef is more than just the dishes they create. Presence, skills, and love of food are what separate a good chef from a great one.

Bastianich has the presence and authority of an accomplished chef, while still managing to maintain that grandmotherly charm. She's a strong woman (mother, breast-cancer survivor) who has taught people of the likes of Mario Batali, yet she is never boastful or arrogant - just confident and knowledgeable.

My favorite of her tv episodes are the ones where she makes her own pasta, expertly making little nests with the dough, dropping the egg into the center, and kneading until she winds up with a fresh, doughy ball of goodness. Watching her make gnocchi is great fun - she gently twists tiny pieces of dough into the perfect shapes, all while chatting to the camera.

So, obviously, I was thrilled to find Epicurious's "Easter with Ease" section, featuring what Bastianich does best: traditional Italian food with a fresh twist. From braised artichokes with pecorino for the veggies to braised lamb shoulder for the carnivores (and a decadent-sounding Limoncello tiramisu for dessert with a whopping pound of mascarpone cheese), she's got it all covered.

But you don't have to celebrate Easter to enjoy this food - make these recipes anytime!

• Russ Parsons sees nothing but Spring coming at the Farmers market with colorful cauliflower and watermelon radishes. He also goes into the kitchen and makes Spring soups: Potato and green garlic chowder, Shrimp and artichoke soup with spring herb gnocchi, and Chilled sweet pea bisque with Dungeness crab and mint.
• One the dining scene, LA restaurants are rounding dinner bills up (or down) and returning no coins in change. SIV finds Paperfish too flimsy, and takes a first look at STK Steakhouse.
• The Wine of the Week is 2005 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes-du-Rhône and there's a new, faster, bartender in town.
  

I'm pretty sure that there isn't any scientific basis for one of the oldest known food's being an aphrodisiac. However, I do believe that it's seductive power is the power of suggestion. By pulling back the leaves one by one, you're undressing the artichoke, and you have to work hard to get at what you really want -- the artichoke's heart, that's been playing hard to get under the prickly "choke."

Of course, artichokes have health benefits. Artichokes are a good source of fiber, potassium, and magnesium. The artichoke is a natural diuretic, a digestive aid, and provides nutrition to health-promoting bacteria in the intestinal tract.

And hey, there is nothing sexier than health-promoting bacteria in your intestines, baby.

A few years ago, I got over my fear of the artichoke. I absolutely love eating artichoke hearts, but I had never before tackled a fresh one myself. That giant bulb, all those spiky leaves, and the warning about the "choke" -- I just resigned myself to ordering them in restaurants. Then I finally did it, and got over myself.

Then I discovered baby artichokes, which are even easier to handle, and in my book, tastier for their tenderness. Jaden of food blog Steamy Kitchen has done a simple, yet beautiful thing, of frying baby artichokes. Their fair green color and of course, the browned edges from frying, are gorgeous! If you want to try them, too, you only have a few months -- artichokes are in season until the end of May, and baby artichokes? Well they're growing up fast!

While it may seem like a "duh" moment when you hear that there are a lot of veggies that taste great at room temperature, it's a good thing to keep in mind for a picnic. I know that I tend to think of sandwiches and salads, as well as cookies and other treats, all of which can pack up nicely, but not of things that are usually served hot. At home, I usually cook and serve vegetables right away, but as I noshed on a leftover ear of grilled corn on the cob, I realized that it would be perfect picnic fare. With corn, you can grill it or boil it, tuck it into a ziploc bag (once it is cool) and bring it along. Once you hit the picnic table, you can still butter and salt it or, better yet, use some lime juice to really bring out the flavor.

Other cooked veggies that I like at room temperature are artichokes, which require a little more preparation than corn on the cob since you'll need a spoon to remove the choke, but are excellent even when chilled (try lemon juice and salt to avoid bringing heat-sensitive dips outdoors), asparagus (if they still have it at the markets in your area), zucchini/summer squash and any kind of beans. Of course, you can always add in some raw veggies, like tomatoes, cucumbers, celery and carrots, but you'll probably want some hummus or other dressing to make them a little more interesting since they're not as easy to simply spice up as cooked vegetables are.

Sarah posted that she was surprised to see such large globe artichokes when she was out shopping, but as an artichoke fan, I have been enjoying these for some time. They are significantly larger than your average 'choke - that is my chef's knife in the photo below for a size comparison - and they are so satisfying that they can actually serve as a light meal. The only downside is that you have to dedicate a whole, large pot to steaming one, so it's best to either only prepare one at a time as an appetizer for a group or a snack for yourself.

While some produce has been suffering in recent months, it seems that others are doing enormously well. Quite literally, in fact.

I'm not sure what the statistics or records are out there for giant artichokes, but still, to see ginormous artichokes that aren't on display at some State Fair is quite a sight. These globes were huge, and even though my hand, holding the artichoke by the stem, doesn't look all that small in comparison, it is. The thistle-beast I am holding was as large as a cabbage.

The question is: does a beast of an artichoke also have a lion heart?

The Japanese domestic goddess, Harumi Kurihara - sometimes known as "the most famous housewife in Japan" -  introduces New York to Japanese home cooking with a live demo and the release of her new book.

Manufacturers try to stuff more whole grains into foods to keep up with the FDA's new guidelines, which will restrict opaque descriptions like "good source of whole grains."

Minimalist Mark Bittman tackles artichokes, with three very easy recipes to kick start the spring season.

Balducci's new store at Eighth Ave and 14th Street has hired Zahidul Hakim as their new head cheese-monger. Hakim grew up with his mother making homemade yogurts and cheese in Bangladesh, where his love of cheese was born. Stop in for a taste of you're in the neighborhood.

Speaking of tastings, take a lesson on how to taste the subtle flavors in Chablis.

Frank Brunei reviews Jean Georges and the $25 and under review makes a stop at Thomas Keller's NY Bouchon Bakery.

I love artichokes. However, up until last year, I had never prepared a fresh artichoke at home. I had always relied on artichoke hearts that had been brined or marinated because the hard, spiky leaves, and danger of having someone choke on the hairy stuff inside if I did it wrong, well, scared me.

Now, I have slayed spiny the dragon, and a fresh artichoke is a kitten in my hands. My favorite way to prepare it, so far, is roasting it, which allows me to appreciate the vegetable as is, without any heavy accessorization with creamy sauces or the distractions of other ingredients.

All it takes is a pair of very sharp kitchen utensils. With a knife, first, slice off the top quarter of the artichoke, then slice it lengthwise into quarters. Using kitchen shears, snip the thorny tops of any interior leaves that you missed with the knife. Using a teaspoon, scrape out the furry "choke," taking care to take all of it out. Rub the cut side of the artichoke with olive oil, sprinkle with lemon juice and salt, place them on a baking sheet, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Serve simply with thin shavings of cheese.

 

Artichokes have been a favorite food for over 2000 years, first appearing as a popular aphrodisiac in Ancient Greece and Rome. They grew natively around Italy, but by the year 800, they were being cultivated in Spain and gradually spread to other areas of Europe. Today, nearly all commercial artichokes grown in the US come from California, where they are harvested year-round. There are more than 50 varieties of artichokes, but only a few are commercially grown. The ones in the United States are likely to be round and green Globe artichokes, but some varieties have brown or purple leaves. The small artichokes sold as "baby artichokes" are not a variety of their own, but merely an immature version of larger artichokes.