artichoke
Commonly grown in hot countries, I have a soft spot for artichoke, it is easy to grow from seed; the flower bud is interesting to eat; the flower is blue, big, comes in autumn and bees love it; and it is perennial.
The trouble is in France, the hot weather means the plant attracts aphids and is very hard to treat, so have to give up all the plants.
I brought the seed to Ireland, try to see if it survives the cool weather here. Sowed the seeds in April, planted seedlings out in June, very slow initial growth but then picked up in late July, growing tall and very healthy.
A single flower buds appear at the top in late August. I plan to leave them to open for the bees. Then more buds come out from lower down, where the leaves joint to the main branch.
So I cut not yet open buds from the plants with many buds, to serve as starter. While steaming, the buds let out a strong greenish smell, I imagine it to be the smell of chlorophyll.
Artichoke 
Artichoke
1. Steam artichoke buds for roughly 10 minutes for small ones, 4 cm diameter.
2. Make a dipping sauce of soy sauce and olive oil.
3. Peel every sepals and nibble the meaty bits at the base until the centre.
4. Remove all hairs from the centre, this part is nutty and crunchy (if not overcooked).
5. The stem part also edible after peeling off the outside layer.
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