I Didn't Know That - Artichokes

I've never been a big artichoke fan, probably because I never ate it as a child which also means that I was never taught how to cook these pretty green 'cones.'  Now that I'm older I've decided to give them a try so I did a bit of research to learn some of the dos and don'ts that I might need to know.  Here is what I found.

I know that the few times I've handled artichoke that they really can prick your fingers when you snip off the ends.  There is a logical solution to this... simply wear rubber gloves.

I learned that you don't cook artichokes in aluminum or iron pots.  They will actually turn the pot gray.

Apparently artichokes have a tendency to become discolored.  This can be prevented by standing the artichoke in cold water with a tablespoon of vinegar about an hour before cooking.  Or you can dip the trimmed base in lemon juice.

Now for storage.  You can prevent your artichokes from wilting for up to five days by wrapping them, unwashed, in a damp towel and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

OK, I've learned this much.  So far I've made a dip using artichokes, in the jar, mayo and Parmesan cheese.  This was really good.  I've also made an artichoke with rice dish that is baked over chicken.  That one is really delicious!  I've heard artichoke and crab makes a good dip/spread so that will be next on my list to make.