“OK, so let’s talk about these artichoke hearts!!! I discovered them one day in the produce section of Whole Foods. They come in a sealed plastic bag, and are made on the Monterey Peninsula in California, where artichokes thrive. I very quickly became seriously addicted to these “chokes” marinated only in lemon and garlic.

I just get the simple ones, but there are also herbed and grilled and a few more varieties. You might want to taste them all! Having grown up with a mother who frequently served artichokes on Friday nights, along with a dipping sauce of warm butter and garlic, I have been a fan my whole life. Actually, though my mom cared (and still does) about eating healthfully, we grew up in a Kosher home, so for the Friday night meat meal my mom had to use margarine, rather than butter. When I started making them, I translated that to olive oil, garlic and sea salt for dipping. Getting through the leaves to the choke, which I would methodically scrape out and discard, had me salivating for the tender, buttery heart in the center. This, to me, even at a young age, was like eating the most luscious chocolate cake; it melted in my mouth. ArtiHearts affect me the same way.

They are not the oily hearts you find in bottles in the supermarket. They taste so fresh and so rich in flavor and actually use the whole artichoke in the process. ArtiHearts make an excellent snack or addition to any dish. Warning: You will not be able to stop until you finish the bag! Great for children, too, as an after school snack. Jane MacDonald is the President of Monterey Farms. I called her to find out all about her ArtiHearts and thank her for creating them. She really has a commitment to take freshly grown artichoke hearts and keep them tasting that way.”

HolisticGirl | Stamford, Connecticut
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