Alligator Pears and Thistles

Source Duke Gardens July 2004 / artichoke flower Matthew Wallenstein 7/7/2004 mdw7@duke.edu

As I mentioned before, I was listening to the Splendid Table on Nerd Radio on my drive up to "The Cities" this last weekend.

Now, you may think that a Nerd Radio program could be nothing but good. WRONG! Yes, it is educational and better than the garbage cluttering the airwaves on say "Let's Pretend I Have A Big >expletive deleted< Radio"

However, after learning all about how avocados were once called alligator pears and that they are in essence a SUPER food, and that nearly 90% of American Avocados come from California... I started to feel a little bit peckish for my favorite food: GUAC.   The rest of you may know this as guacamole. There has been some debate over whether or not you could live off Guac, and I maintain that you can.  It has all the essentials: Good Fat, Salt, Acid, Fiber, Yumminess, Protein... did I mention yumminess? 

I thought that I was safe, because I was driving and for the awesomeness that is guacamole, I have yet to find away to derive satisfaction out of eating it while driving.  

Next topic please Splendid Table!  Did I mention that I thought I was safe?  That was until I learned all about the artichoke.  Did you know that the artichoke is the bud of a flower? That when the artichoke blooms, it is purple and thistle like? Interesting, no?  Then I learned that the way to tell if an artichoke is fresh, you just give it a squeeze and if you hear a tiny squeak from deep inside the petals, your good on freshness.  (Czarina Kylie would also like to add that if they feel heavier than they look, that is a good sign, too.)

Oh, this is too much. Describing the sauteed in olive oil artichoke hearts was making me downright hungry.  By this time I had been driving for an hour and it was time to stretch my legs. I stopped at the natural food co-op to pick up some fruit and a beverage for the rest of the trip and for my breakfast in the morning. I swear I had planned to stop there in the first place.  

The last thing the dude on Nerd Radio said was "if you see baby artichokes out now, they're probably a good buy" and wouldn't you know the first thing I see is baby artichokes.  I reach my hand down toward the object and as my fingers lightly close to lift it closer I hear a tiny squeak that clearly calls out  "buy me".  Well I'll be! I thought. This vegetable is clearly expecting my to buy it! I looked down again and saw avocados sitting right next to the chokes.  Oh Damn', it's going to be grilled avocados tonight and some artichokes tomorrow!  I filled my basket with the produce as well as some fresh strawberries, yogurt, and french sparkling lemonade. 

I convinced Jo that we should grill the avocados with the burgers on the fire and that was that.  The chokes I have been saving for tonight to eat with Kylie and Megan during the "Let's play cribbage tonight so we (aka Erin) can beat Doug" get together. 

So as you can see Nerd Radio is not safe for your pocketbook or your waste line. Sure you can make this food healthy, but you know I'm going to be dipping those petals in butter.... but it is going to oh so worth it... cause it's educational I mean. Totally.

Howktown Approves:

Eating Flower Buds

Playing Cribbage

Where Am I? What and Who now?

This last week has been a busy one for the Queen of Howktown. First off all, my massage schedule was packed to the gills. It was full enough, in fact, that I felt that I had entered a time warp and lost two whole days by Thursday.

Thursday morning I walk down the stairs with my rubber arms swinging by my side like the Great Ape of the jungle, when came upon my mother and sister. I swear they were speaking in a foreign language. I did not know what the bleep they were talking about, and the words that I could understand, still didn't make any sense. "What?" "Who and the Where now?" I flabbergasted toward them. They just rolled their eyes and continued.

Saturday I slept in until 10 am, something I haven't been able to do in ages, and then I drove up to the cities to see one of my best friends, Andrea. She's from "The Apartment" (whose name rings infamously among certain folks), and I haven't seen her since she's had her first child almost 3 years ago, and she's had second child almost a year ago.

On the way, I tuned to Public Radio. Now, I'd been hearing rumors about this "Splendid Table" show from Czarina Kylie and how I should totally listen to it. It just so happens that as the power button of the radio released, 660 Indian Curries were being described and I was hooked. I also learned how to squeak an artichoke and that avocados used to be called Alligator pears.

I just realized that this post is going to be a mile long if I don't consider the readers and split up the post. Anyway, it's been a jammed packed week,and next week will be the same.

For later:
Avacados and Artichokes!
Yog-awesome!
The APARTMENT!
and something really funny, I'm sure.