Artichoke Lore: Artichokes are one of the most ancient and beloved vegetables in the Eastern Mediterranean, and Greeks have been eating them forever, or at least since discovering and embracing their ancestor, the wild cardoon. There are several artichoke varieties grown in Greece, mostly in the Peloponnese and Crete. Try serving this with a bowl of lightly salted Greek yogurt into which you an add a little extra virgin olive oil as well as some lemon zest.