Hankerings With Heart: Dip Into the Foods of the 2023 Artichoke Festival

THE STEPS OF SNACKING: We usually begin devouring a slice of pizza at its pointy tip, and not the curved crust, though surely there are those offbeat eaters that insist on munching in the opposite direction, biting into the bready bits before the cheesy triangle. A banana is generally enjoyed from the first part of the fruit to emerge from the peel and not the bottom (you'll work your way there in tantalizing time). And an artichoke? Leaf it to devoted chokies to start their savory supping by pulling those teeth-scrape-y petals off, one by one by yum. But an artichoke, though there is a well-known way to approach eating it, can definitely be changed up. You don't always have to begin with the outer petals and end with the succulent heart, not if you're looking for something delicious and different.

THE 2023 ARTICHOKE FESTIVAL... gives chokie-obsessed change-uppers plenty of appetizing opportunities to enjoy their favorite thistle in a host of intriguing ways. True, you'll find artichokes in their ultimate and most recognizable forms, from freshly steamed to grilled, but there are so many nibbles to ponder before making for the Monterey County Fair and Event Center. What do we mean when we say "so many nibbles"? The foodie festivity will feature artichoke fries, artichoke pico de gallo, artichoke burritos, and BBQ artichoke sausage sandwiches. Artichoke hummus is sure to be a popular choice, and the BBQ artichoke burnt ends? That sounds like a scrumptious way to prepare this green dream. For all of these good things to come at the June 10-11 festival, and dippable delights, keep your own heart set on this site in the days ahead.