A few months ago B and I went to a restaurant and ordered artichokes for our appetizer. They were insanely good. They came with some butter based sauce to dip them in. Mmmmmm...... butter.
I have thought about them. A lot. Too much, to be frank with you.
At Costco they had packages of these big, beautiful, magazine photo shoot worthy artichokes for $5. I walked past them, because I have never made artichokes before and they intimidate me.
When I was a little girl, my mom, an adventurous chef herself, made artichokes. In our little brown and yellow kitchen on Sycamore Street, she slaved away on her day off. I remember her working on them for what seemed like forever. I remember her fingers bleeding all over the place from cleaning them. I remember, vividly, her cursing. I wondered why my mom would subject herself to such pains for us - and on her day off, of all days. My mom worked crazy long hours while I was growing up. Frankly, we weren't a very appreciative crowd to receive her culinary endeavors. I didn't understand that for my mom, the rewards of cooking arduous gourmet foods far outweigh the blood sweat and tears (and cursing). I get it now.
Something came over me when I saw the fresh artichokes at Costco. So I went back. I actually drove all that way for just one item. Does anyone else think Costco is as big of a pain in the butt as I do? Seriously people. Lucky for me, my MIL needed a few things so the trek out there seemed justified.
They are in my fridge. They are on a shelf at eye level. Every time I go to the fridge, they look at me sadly and ask, "are you going to make us? Or are you going to chicken out and let us go bad then toss us in the trash the next time you clean out the fridge?"
Oh little artichokes. I will make you. I will make you tonight! I do not know how to make you, but I will do it! And I will announce to the blogosphere the fruits of my labor.
The next time you hear from me, I will be a changed woman. I will be a woman who has made artichokes!
8 comments:
Oh! I looove artichokes! I made them 2 Thanksgivings ago and learned that I was the only one that liked them-lol! My hubby just brought home 2 cans of artichoke hearts from the grocery store last night as a surprise (I love to eat them right out of the can, or heaped on veggie pizza!) Have fun and tell us all how they turn out! I'll try not to drool...
(P.S. That photo of the kitchen in your childhood home is adorable!) :)
(P.P.S.- The Cheesecake Factory makes a mean artichoke appetizer, too! Even my husband loved it, and he doesn't even LIKE artichokes, normally.)
Artichokes are amazing! My only issue is I don't like the brined ones in a can. I made a chicken dish strictly because artichokes were an ingredient and it came out horrible. Then again, it could have been my lousy cooking. Good luck with the artichokes! Don't choke!
I guess you and I are having some sort of disconnect here. I see no issue with daydreaming about butter soaked anything.
I've never in my life had Artichokes. I dind't know the existed until the early years of my marriage when we lived in the USA and had cable. gone are the learning days.
You're a braver woman than I, I could never attempt artichokes. Pictures, please. When you master them.
Artichokes intimidate the heck out of me too. I had a friend make them once, where we took the different layered pieces and dipped them in something? butter sounds good. But I've never attempted to duplicate it. Can't wait to see how yours turn out.
To get your boys to try them, boil them then dip the leaves into ranch (tell them they are like special chips) - very tastey, even to finicky eaters.
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