Sicilian Green Hairy Monster

It's that time of year again--artichoke time! All over the streets and in the markets, you'll see these little 3-wheeled trucks loaded down with artichokes, which are sold in bundles of like . . . twenty-four! You can't just buy one, or even ten. And they are cheap, something like three or five euros for that many ($4.50-$7.50). These green, hairy artichoke monsters can be seen all over Sicily.