Sadly the summer chokes are the annual kind, they just don’t have the meaty, arti-choky goodness of the perennial plants. But on the bright side, at least there are ‘chokes in summer!
They were huge and really meaty. We flew up to see some friends in Scotts Valley back in the 80s, I don't remember the little airport we went into out toward the coast but there was another couple getting ready to fly out and they had artichokes that were at least 8" in diameter. I've never seen anything like it since.