Artichokes are truly a treat. The smell of them reminds me of sandalwood or incense. They take of bit of work and unfortunately because they oxidize quickly, it can’t be done ahead of time. Here is a great article on how to trim and steam artichokes. If you don’t have a lemon on hand, distilled vinegar would also work. Then all you need is a tasty sauce to dip the artichoke in. Artichokes also have a tendency to make other food taste particularly sweet thanks to a compound called cynarine, so maybe don’t serve with that special bottle of wine.