OMG!  I love fresh artichokes!  We steam them on a steamer basket until you can poke a fork in the base and it is soft and then serve with melted butter.  So good!  First you cut the top off – maybe an inch and then you cut the stem end off – leave about 1/2" of stem.  Cut the sharp tips off each leaf that has one.  Now put upside down on the steamer and steam until you can poke a fork in the base and it seems "done" – soft but not squishy.  Then you serve with melted butter.  Tear a leaf off, dip the meaty end of the leaf in the butter and "scrape" the meaty flesh off the leaves with your teeth (hard to describe!).  As you get to the center of the artichoke the leaves will get softer and then you come to the "choke", this you don't eat.  You will see that it is rather hairy (this IS a thistle plant), take a spoon and work it under the choke and discard that.  Now you are left with the "heart", this is so good.  Break it in pieces with your spoon, dip in butter and enjoy!  We also will steam them until almost done, remove from the pan, spread the leaves enough to reach the choke and remove it with a spoon and then stuff with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs that are mixed with olive oil, a little garlic, maybe some diced mushrooms.  Put the stuffed artichokes in a baking dish, pop in the oven and bake around 350 for 20 minutes or so until they are hot but not dried out – excellent!  These are my favorite ways to enjoy artichokes

You didn't miss anything Rileysmom!  Maybe you just don't care for that taste/texture.  For me I think it's a "memory" thing.  Artichokes, fresh mushrooms (and Reese's miniatures!) remind me of my childhood and my parents.  We didn't have a lot of money growing up, my mom never worked and my dad worked many jobs to keep us six kids fed/clothed.  These seasonal food items were special for us – real treats that were considered "adult" food.  So maybe that's why they taste so good to me!