If there is one word I don’t want associated with my food, it’s “choke.” Choking is the absolute worst-case scenario when it comes to eating (with the possible exception of poison, which is why I’m on the fence about “boysenberry”).

“Artichoke” compounds the problem by including the word “art.” It makes it sound like this vegetable is so freaking good at choking people, it raises choking to an artform. And it even looks the part, with those sinister flared petals.

So… better names for the artichoke?