It’s a party for a vegetable, and it’s a good time.
People all over the festival directed me to a man in the purple shirt who knows more about artichokes than anyone they’ve ever met. Eighty-three-year-old Lionel Handel is retired from his work in the artichoke industry, but not as an ambassador for artichoke appreciation. I found him stationed at an informational booth in the farmers' market area, where there were tables upon tables heaped with artichokes, all selling for $1 and $2, with lots of other Central Coast vegetables.
When I found him, Handel was already talking to a group about how to prepare baby artichokes. His favorite way is to remove the outer petals and get down to the tender heart, then slice them and saute them in garlic and olive oil. As he explained this, he was slicing up a baby artichoke, explaining which parts to eat — then, he handed me a raw piece of one. “It doesn’t taste the same,” he said, “but it’s edible.
Artichoke cheesecake and an artichoke cupcake, both topped with the optional-but-recommended balsamic glaze.So I’ll ask again: Why throw a party for a vegetable? Pat Hopper would probably say it’s good for the heart in more ways than one.