The artichoke is the immature flower bud of a thistle. It is eaten as a vegetable and is culinarily classified as such. The plant is a member of the aster family, and the bud is harvested before it blossoms. Artichoke is not an easy vegetable to prepare, and you’ll need to do some work to get to the edible parts. The outer leaves (called “bracts”) of the bud have thorns on the tips (thornless varieties have been cultivated). The base of the leaves is edible and the innermost leaves are tender enough to eat, too.
