If your brain goes straight to the vinegary-tang of brined, marinated artichoke hearts from antipasto, you're going to have to retrain yourself. Super bitter if eaten raw, steamed artichokes actually have a somewhat mild, nutty taste - think properly-cooked asparagus or brussels sprouts. The most important thing to remember when eating is that you're essentially scraping the soft artichoke flesh off the tougher leaf (and then discarding the leaf) with your teeth.