On 10/1/07 23:08, in article , "Des
Higgins" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 10/1/07 21:30, in article , "Des
Higgins" wrote:

snip

We have both cardoon and artichoke (well one of each; small front
garden);
the cardoon is more spectacular but the artichoke is neater (and easier
to
eat :-).

Helluva fiddle, though!

Absolutely and I would be keen to try a few varieties as I am sure some are
less fiddly than others and/or taste better.
I spent ages peering at daft explanations in Delia Smyth's book and an
Italian book (Marcella Hazan) and not getting very far. The easiest ways in
the end were to either:
1) cut them in half and scrape out the choke and then boil the halves; the
tough out bits can then be pulled away easily and you can then eat chunks
or
2) remove as much choke as possible (fiddly) raw and then boil and pull off
the (ehhhhhhh anatomical technicalities here; the leafy bits are not sepals?
They are involucral bracts? hic) leafy bits one by one and dip each into
mayonnaise and chew off the edible bits from one end.

After all that it is common to have eaten a packet of crisps while waiting
for the things to cook and to have gone off eating them.
So maybe cardoons are easier after all :-)

I think I'll just go for the Jerusalems, frankly. I've dealt with the others
a few times but I very underwhelmed by them. I have a particular dislike of
'fiddly food' so they just don't do it for me.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/