My father says that when he was growing up in Calabria, they simply picked the artichokes and ate them raw. I don’t know about that, but he showed me how easy it is to grow artichokes in my garden. I’m not big on stuffing them with a lot of fattening ingredients. I simply like to boil the artichokes in water and seasoning. I snack on them all day, and they fill me up. When I have a party, especially on my outdoor terrace, I like to scatter the cooked artichokes around my table for decoration. My guests are surprised when they find out my beautiful centerpieces are indeed edible! MARIA DESIDERATA MONTANA
