"A" is For Artichoke

And we are off - a new start to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday!
At the beginning - this week's letter is "A" - For Artichokes...
Do you like them? Avoid them? Don't know what to do with them?  Animal, vegetable or mineral??


My own experience with artichokes began in 1964 - you ask how can she remember something so mundane? I was 20 years old and led a somewhat sheltered life - the kitchen was a room that was not particularly familiar to me. Mom was in charge of meal preparations and like most Americans during the '60's we ate quite well, never thinking about carbs or calories...everything was very good as Mom enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes. 
The long holiday weekend of Easter (Monday being a holiday in Washington, D.C. - after all it was the day of the traditional Egg Roll on the White House lawn) I met my future husband...aka Mr. Outback. It wasn't long before he introduced me to his own family...his sister, Susan, and their Mom & Dad, Colonel and Mrs. Taylor. Jean, who would become my Mother-in-law was a gourmet cook and her copy of Julia Child's cookbook was her favorite. I have always thought Jean and Julia looked like twins anyway (with maybe a touch of Angela Lansbury.) One of the first dinners I attended at their home featured prepared artichokes - set off to the side of my dinner plate in a separate serving dish. What is that I quietly wondered? Peering discreetly around the table at the others, I carefully watched to see what would happen to this unknown food item. Okay, it looked like you needed to pull a leaf off and dip it in something...oh a little dish of mayonnaise next to the artichoke...I can handle that. Then you must ...hmmm...eat the leaf...and thus began a new journey. There was a little sharp tip on the edge of each leaf which baffled me but down the leaf went. It didn't hurt too much and I sure wanted to make a good impression on everyone by not asking any odd questions. I don't remember what we actually had for dinner that night. The glass of wine helped with the throat. It wasn't until later that I noticed everyone else had a neatly piled set of partially eaten leaves stacked on the edge of their little serving plates. There was nothing to show for all my hard work except for a strange looking bottom part. At that point, I threw caution to the wind and must have asked for assistance...

Fast forward to 2011...Mr. Outback still likes this interesting vegetable. They don't grow well in Northern Wisconsin, to say the least. What we find in the local stores is mostly quite sad looking...very brown and dried out. There must be limited interest in them and the produce buyers are not very knowledgeable as to quality. They often are priced at $2.69 or above for each one. When we do purchase a half-way decent looking artichoke, the young cashiers at the check out line always ask what it is...and bring out their sku code books to find a listing.
What to do?? This being the age of ordering everything you can dream up online...Mr. Outback located an artichoke farm in Moss Landing, California and they ship!!! What size would you like, Sir? JUMBO, of course! We will get them right out to you...FedEX overnight...
Mr. Outback won't reveal what he paid for these babies...

But he is one happy artichoke fan!
The box held 9 of the biggest artichokes I have ever seen...complete with that thorny little edge. You California readers are no doubt shaking your heads in dismay...after all you can grow them in your backyards!
So that's my story, and I am sticking to it! (Gotcha 'ya! bet you thought I would choose "A" for applique! Maybe next time...)

"A" is for artichoke - and be sure to visit all the other brand new "A" postings over at Jenny's.


This tiny bunny is the only size I welcome in my yard...but he sends you an Abundance of Easter Blessings...

Pat in snowy Northern Wisconsin