Artichokes..

sf said:

On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 04:49:06 -0600, Andy <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

ScratchMonkey <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I just chop off the stem even with the bottom,
toss stem

But... but... but... the stem once you scrape the outer skin takes as good
as the heart!

It's only slightly more stringy, but still no reason to chop
it off.

Oooo, the stem is the best part!

MK

Michael L Kankiewicz said:

sf said:

On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 04:49:06 -0600, Andy <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

ScratchMonkey <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

> I just chop off the stem even with the bottom,
> toss stem

But... but... but... the stem once you scrape the outer skin takes as good
as the heart!

It's only slightly more stringy, but still no reason to chop
it off.

Oooo, the stem is the best part!

Obviously you don't eat many artichokes. The heart is the
best part, but the stem is close.

sf

In article <[email hidden]>,

Nancy Young said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The other reason is called "presentation". But then again maybe you don't
care how your food looks. If I'm serving artichokes to my family I don't
want to say oh, you'll have to scrape out the choke because I didn't
bother.

I was taught how to make artichokes by my ex mil. She snipped the tips of
the leave, those little barbs really hurt. But she didn't take out the
choke.
Okay by me, I don't take it out either, I just scrape it off the heart when
I get that far eating it.

That is exactly how my mom prepares them.

For just one, I'll wrap it in plastic and steam it in the microwave.

My family historically divided between "eats butter with" and "eats mayo
with". I am one of the butter eaters, but aioli is pretty good. As is a
nice viniagrette.

Quoted message said:

I'm getting a craving, are they coming into season soon? I know they are
big at Easter with Italians.

The leetle baby ones are in our farmer's market here in Artichoke Heaven
even now. The bigger ones should be in a little later. Certainly in time
for Easter, which is prime choke-eatin' time.

Artichokes are very dramatic plants; when the choke isn't harvested, it
turns into this gorgeous electric-blue flower.

Charlotte (not Italian, but I am from California)
--

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 05:09:27 +0000 (UTC),

(Charlotte L. Blackmer) said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Nancy Young said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The other reason is called "presentation". But then again maybe you don't
care how your food looks. If I'm serving artichokes to my family I don't
want to say oh, you'll have to scrape out the choke because I didn't
bother.

Which is a thought pattern mainly exhibited by people who
back out the door vacuuming.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I was taught how to make artichokes by my ex mil. She snipped the tips of
the leave, those little barbs really hurt. But she didn't take out the
choke.
Okay by me, I don't take it out either, I just scrape it off the heart when
I get that far eating it.

That's exactly what I do too. People who scrape the choke
out first:
1. Begin with artichokes that we'd throw back w/o a second
thought because they are too open.
2. They are also taking out the finest eating leaves just
above the choke.

Quoted message said:

That is exactly how my mom prepares them.

For just one, I'll wrap it in plastic and steam it in the microwave.

My family historically divided between "eats butter with" and "eats mayo
with". I am one of the butter eaters, but aioli is pretty good. As is a
nice viniagrette.

Quoted message said:

I'm getting a craving, are they coming into season soon?

Huge artichokes are in the green market right now. Not
cheap, but an ok price for one or two people.

Hmmm. I think I'll get one for an appetiser tonight...
aioli sounds like a great dip. Just saw my first spring
asparagus a couple of days ago too, so I'll get some too and
put that aioli to good use!

sf