Aaahhh purple. The color of royalty. Of nobility, power and ambition. And also the color of our highly sought-after, relatively rare and always seasonal purple artichokes. These beauties are coveted by retailers, foodservice operators and consumers alike.
At Ocean Mist Farms we are the only grower/shipper who annually grow and harvest these desired thistles in both our southern growing region in Coachella, CA and our Northern CA growing region in Castroville, CA. And with nearly 100 years of cultivation experience, we’ve developed a proprietary Purple Artichoke variety with superior flavor and vibrant purple appearance.
So what’s the difference between “purples” and their green cousins? The purples are dramatic, and gorgeous and okay…let’s just say it, they’re divas! Stealing the spotlight wherever they show up. They brighten up any produce department, table or plate and promise a culinary experience from any menu that offers them.
They typically have a rich, earthy and slightly nuttier flavor than green artichokes and their petals (or leaves) can be a bit “meatier.” Our purple variety mimics the look and flavor of a Mediterranean old-world variety.
We should continue to have supplies of purple artichokes throughout the month of February. And we’re hopeful that, like last year, we’ll have a second purple season in April/May once we’ve transitioned our growing operations back up north after our winter crop season comes to an end in Coachella by early April.
So keep a lookout for them in supermarkets near you! You can also always check our Store Locator to find retailers near you that carry Ocean Mist Farms products: https://www.oceanmist.com/where-to-buy
To learn more about our Purple Artichokes, check here on our website: https://www.oceanmist.com/products/purple-artichokes
