The World's Largest Artichoke
Castroville,California
Castroville California is home to the World's Largest Artichoke. Built in 1963 from concrete and rebar, this giant creation was the brainchild of Ray Bei, built as a part of a vegetable stand and restaurant complex along the main thoroughfare. It stands 20 feet tall and 12 feet across.
Castroville (population 6,724 ) is located along the coast beside Monterey Bay. Here the ideal combination of soil, sun and fog provide the perfect growing conditions for artichokes, making Castroville the Artichoke Capital. There's an annual Artichoke Festival and parade, and Marilyn Monroe was crowned the very first Artichoke Queen in 1947.
Ray Bei's Giant Artichoke Restaurant and Fruit Stand is open year-round and features artichoke delicacies that exist nowhere else. Frozen, fried, quiched or just plain steamed, the artichoke is “King” of this village known as “The Artichoke Capital of the World”
One of the featured menu items was fried artichoke leaves, which I was certainly game for. Although I believe that frying anything makes it better, it didn’t do much for the artichoke.
From the souvenir mug:
One of California’s outstanding tourist stops is the Giant Artichoke Restaurant in Castroville, CA, beside Monterey Bay. Here the ideal combination of soil, sun and fog provide the perfect growing conditions for artichokes. At this restaurant the visitor finds artichoke delicacies that exist nowhere else. Frozen, fried, quiched or just plain steamed, the artichoke is “King” of this village known as “The Artichoke Capital of the World”
World's Largest Artichoke Stats
Steel and Plaster
erected 1963, 20 feet tall, 12 feet across
I'll post more as I get information.
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