by Caitlin Collins
When selecting an artichoke at the supermarket, you'll want to select those with firm and compacted heads. Once the leaves begin fraying out, they're overripe. They also shouldn't be turning brown. Brightly colored artichokes are best; they should not be mushy around the stem.
Daytime cook Max preps the artichokes during the day. "Artichokes are kind of goblin-ish little thistle devil plants," says Max. "They are difficult to work with and oxidize really quickly; though it doesn't affect taste, it changes the way they look. You get prettier food if you work really fast and keep them immersed in lemon water."
