I love the combination of purple and green, so these globe artichokes on the market stall immediately caught my attention. They appeared freshly cut, the ‘leaves’ (technically bracts) a wonderful rich purple, a little green showing between, and a line of orange/gold outlining each.

According to the RHS website, the globe artichoke is in fact the edible flower bud of a cultivated thistle. This explains the ‘choke’. For me the taste of the artichoke is as much of a treat as its appearance, and worth the fiddle of removing the choke. Not everyone would agree however. Caravaggio is reputed to have attacked a waiter who had presented him with a plate of artichokes!

Much as I like drawing in a single coloured ink, it was the beautiful hues of this variety of artichoke which initially drew me to them, so it was time to get out the coloured pencils.

A few days on, the gold on the edges of the leaves is fading and the colour is not quite as rich. Time to turn them into a delicious supper!