Saturday, April 21, 2007

Venetian artichokes

When we are in Venice we stay in Nati House, a small flat with a small kitchen. Staying in a flat instead of a hotel means that we can cook our own meals. Grocery shopping and visiting the food markets have become a favorite way of spending time in Venice, bringing home to Nati House kitchen ingridients which I seldom find at home.

When I spent Easter in Italy last year I learned to know that Easter means time for the artichokes. I tasted them at restaurants last year, but this year my goal was to use them in my own cooking.



On our way back home to Nati House one day we passed a vegetable market where the seller was peeling artichokes. "Wait", I said to Terje and Marta. "I have to check out this." The seller knew just a couple of English words, I know just a couple of Italian ones, but both of us interested in artichokes he was able to tell me how to cook the artichoke hearts with the help of salt, fresh garlic and some other greens.

I went home to Nati House feeling like a real chef, cooking a perfect meal for my little family.








3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Delicious. I love artichokes. How did they tell you to cook them?

Darla said...

Ok, I'm totally confused. I love artichokes and cook lots of them because the US artichoke capital in not far south of us.

But I don't see artichokes in your photo. Am I missing something? I see asparagus. I like that too.

Darla

Darla said...

Me again! Ok, I enlarged the pictures. Are the round pale beige parts the artichoke? I'm so used to beginning with the whole one and our *hearts* are much greener.

Looks good whatever you are doing.

Darla