Thursday, November 25, 2010

NEW FOOD FRIDAY- Artichoke

Hello Again!  How was your TG?  Mine was lovely, thanks.  So, I have to admit this weeks New Food was not actually eaten this week but a few weeks ago so I'm doing this from memory a little bit.  Second admission is that this technically isn't a new food for me- HOWEVER- I have never made it, nor have I ever hunkered down and properly tackled a real, whole artichoke.  Kind of a strange experience, I have to say.  I bought one whilst hopelessly perusing the veggie section, thinking of ways to shock and awe you with my food prowess- or lack thereof.  I was clueless how to prepare it, or even how to eat it since I've only had it in dip and on veggie pizza (hmmm- thinking of that is making me hungry).  So when I read on Simply Recipes that you actually eat the leaves, but only part of each leaf, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  So, you're telling me that I cook this ginormous thing but throw half of it out?  I said to myself. Wasteful. But, I went on with my research because I'm hopelessly and tirelessly dedicated to you. sigh... forehead swoon.

I followed these directions to a T (although, now that I think of it, I think I boiled it instead of steaming it).  I'd show you pics but its rather boring.  A pot of water.  No thanks.  Me standing there watching the pot until it FINALLY boils.  Double no thanks.  A splash of lemon some salt and garlic powder (which made a really gross film on my pot by the way)- eh, I'll pass.
But here it is all boiled and arranged.  See that stuff popping out of the top of the leaf like Guido's chest hair?  THAT's what you're supposed to eat.  

So, its weird.  Its kind of like something I can see cheesy people eating when they want to be romantic.  Eww.  That just makes me uncomfortable.  Its right up there with the word panties.  So, I had to get over that.  The dip too- I just felt wrong eating mayo with a little vinegar in it.  The thought of it now makes me wanna barf.  But anyway, I dipped the leaf into the mayo and pulled my teeth across the leaf as directed.  A little meat came out and I ate it, then discarded the remainder of the leaf on my designated trash plate.  Hmmm.  Appetizing. Repeat 1000 times.  So, here's the thing.  I thought it tasted o.k. while I ate it but it haunted me all day after I was done- not in a physical way but a mental one.  Every time I smelled evidence of it I cursed the day I let artichoke into my house.  I think it was the mayo mix that really put me over the edge.  Ug.  I think I'm gonna stick to canned artichoke hearts and I'll leave the real deal to the love birds.

over and out.  k.

3 comments:

  1. Ohhh, that is so funny! Yes, I think you are right that sometimes it's a romantic food, even comparable to fondue romance (although I'll take fondue over artichoke every time). Now, I love artichokes, my mom saw to that. As kids, mom would boil up a big pot of artichokes and we'd all eat one. Yup, lots of left over waste, but at the same time, I'm not eating those leaves! It always got better as we got closer to the heart and the leaves became more tender until you could eat the whole leaf. We had to be careful to scoop out the prickly parts of the heart, then we'd cut up the heart and eat it last of all. We did always dip it in mayo, my mom's a mayo lover. I am too, but Shane is not. So we don't have it around except for very rare occasions. We haven't had artichokes except for once or twice in our married life, but I do have lots of positive nostalgia for artichokes! I loved your comparisons to chest hair and the word "panties". Of all the unappetizing connections!! "C'mon kids, slick up that chest hair with a side of panties!".
    You are so fun to read!

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  2. Lol! I agree!! Funny post! And like Melita, I love artichokes!! I haven't even had the canned hearts, so maybe I should try those! But this also makes me want to have some around here since I've never made them as as married woman.

    As for a romantic food... Seriously cracked me up -- never considered such a thing! The pieces would always get stuck in my teeth (hence, I make the chest hair connection), and isn't that what you try to avoid when trying to be romantic?

    So so funny!! And way to keep trying new stuff!

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  3. Kelly is right: only cheesy people would ever consider boiled artichokes romantic. But seriously, I had visions of romance the first time I made them for Shane!

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