Artichoke's Primer for Spring

SPRING TIME IS MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE.  AS A FOODIE AND COOK ON OF THE JOYS IS FINDING FRESH ARTICHOKES AT THE MARKET.... HERE IS AN EASY SIMPLE WAY OF PREPARING THE ARTICHOKE FOR COOKING

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN ARTICHOKE,  NICE TIGHT LEAVES AND LONG STEMS, BLEMISH LIKE SHOWN ABOVE MAYBE BECAUSE OF WEATHER, IF THE ARTICHOKE IS TIGHT THIS WILL NOT EFFECT WHAT'S INSIDE.  A DELICIOUS MEATY BOTTOM.

 With a large sharp kitchen knife, cut bottom of  stem end

cit bottom of artichoke which includes the stem

another view of what you just cut

with your hands, start remove the outer leaves.  IF YOU ARE GOING TO  EAT THE  "MEAT" ON THE LEAVES , REMOVE ONLY  FOR "ROUND OF OUTSIDE LEAVE.  IF YOU ARE GOING TO EAT THE ENTIRE ARTICHOKE, REMOVE OUTER LEAVES UNTIL TENDER YELLOW LEAVES APPEAR.

ARTICHOKE WITH TENDER "YELLOW" LEAVES

CUT OFF  TOP 1/2 OF ARTICHOKE

ANOTHER VIEW OF CUTTING THE TOP HALF OF THE ARTICHOKE

RUB LEMON ON THE TOP OF THE ARTICHOKE TO PREVENT IT FROM "BROWNING"

WITH A SHARP PEARING KNIFE, REMOVE THE WOODY OUTER LAYER ON THE BOTTOM OF THE ARTICHOKE

ANOTHER VIEW OF REMOVING THE OUTTER LAYER OF THE ARTICHOKE BOTTOM

RUB WITH LEMON

ADD CLEANED AND READY ARTICHOKE IN A BOWL OF WATER THAT HAS THE JUICE OF ONE LEMON

TAKE THE STEM OF THE ARTICHOKE THAT YOU FIRST CUT AND  CUT AWAY THE OUTTER WOODY LAYER AND ADD THE STEM TO THE LEMON WATER
REPEAT THE PROCESS WITH REMAINING ARTICHOKES




WITH A LITTLE PRACTICE THIS PREPPING PROCESS ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES.  I USUALLY DO THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING, LEAVING THE ARTICHOKES IN THE LEMON WATER ALL DAY AND THEM STEAM THEN JUST BEFORE SERVING OR IF YOU LIKE YOUR ARTICHOKE COLD YOU CAN STEAM THEM RIGHT A WAY.... BUT THAT'S TOMORROWS'S LESSON.

Julie's NYC Birthday

SO WHEN A LOVLEY AUSTIN LASSIE CAME TO NEW YORK TO CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY....... ZUCKER STYLE,  JORDS SAID B'WAY SHOW.....PRICILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT (  IT'S SUCH A BZ SHOW THEY BOTH ANNOUNCED AFTER THE VIEWING, AND OF COURSE THEY LOVED IT) AND A FAB DINNER.
 BWANA AND I  WERE SO ENCHANTED WITH COLICCHIO AND SONS.... WE HAD TO RETURN AND SHOW THIS TEXAS GURL, GREAT FOOD, WINE AND SERVICE.  WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SECURE A TABLE IN THE TAP ROOM. THEY WERE DELIGHT AS WELL AS THE CHEF TO HONOUR US WITH A TASTING MENU......   WAS THE SECOND TIME GOING TO BE AS FABULOUS AS THE FIRST?  WERE THEY ABLE TO MEET OUR  VERY RIGOROUS  EXPECTATIONS?  YOU BET! AND THEN SOME!
....... AND NOW THE REST OF THE STORY.....

HAMACHI COLLAR WITH PEAR AND RAMPS, IT WAS THE PERFECT BEGINNING, THE HAMACHI WAS DONE TO PERFECTION MEDIUM RARE WITH THE SWEET SMOKINESS OF THE RAMPS JUST BLISS

PIZZA #1 SUN DRIED TOMATOES, ESCAROLE, AND ARTICHOKES, PERFECT CRUST AND COMBINATION, IT'S A  SPOILER ! AS  PIZZA AROUND THE CORNER AT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD JOINT JUST WON'T DO ANY MORE!

 IF THAT WASN'T THE SPOILER THEN YOU GOT TO TRY PIZZA #2  FRESH WILD MUSHROOMS, OH SO MEATY AND DIVINELY EARTHY OF THE WOODS, TOPPED WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA, IT WAS  PURELY HEAVENLY EVER SO FRAGRANT AND MOUTH WATERING.

VEAL BREAST WITH FRESH BREAD CRUMBS AND A HINT OF MUSTARD HAD AN ENCORE PRESENTATION AT BWANA'S REQUEST.  AGAIN THIS DISH DID NOT DISAPPOINT THE SECOND TIME AROUND, IF ANYTHING THE SPRING VEGETABLE MEDELY WAS EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST TIME! 

BABY LAMB WRAPPED IN BACON ON TOP OF EGGPLANT WAS THE SECOND MAIN.  COOKED TO PINK PERFECTION, GRILLED EGGPLANT IS THE ZUCKER GIRLS FAV VEGGIE OF CHOICE.... THE COMBINATION OF FLAVORS MADE US GIDDY WITH DELIGHT

ZUCKER GIRLS TOASTING THE TOWN AND THE BIRTHDAY GIRL

CHOCOLATE, REPEAT CHOCOLATE B'DAY CAKE, JUST ONE LOOK AND YOU ARE HOOKED! THEN ONE DECADENT BITE..... AND YOU ARE LOST IN CHOCOLATE HEAVEN

WHY STOP WITH ONE FATTENING D WHEN YOU CAN HAVE 3?
A SMEAR OF CARAMEL, PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH AND  THE DEVIL'S CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH BANANA ICE CREAM.... MR. BERLIN PLEASE PLAY "I'M IN HEAVEN"( CHEEK TO CHEEK) WITH GINGER AND FRED DANCING.... PLEASE

 ANOTHER  REPEAT PERFORMANCE.......PIPING HOT ZEPPOLI NESTING IN THEIR OWN WHITE CLOTH WITH FRESH RUBARB SAUCE AND VANILLA ICE CREAM, WHAT A WAY TO WASH AWAY THE BLUES FROM EATING CHOCOLATE.  JUST DEVINE

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL MAKING HER WISHES

SHARING B'DAY CAKE WITH AUNT BZ

WAS THE EVENING A SUCESS?  YOU BET!  THIS IS STILL ONE OF THE BEST TABLES IN TOWN..... MARK IT FOR YOUR OWN SPECIAL OCCASION .  OH SAY BZ SENT YOU!

A Visit to the Flower District

MY NEIGHBOR INVITED ME  (OK I INVITED MYSELF) TO JOIN HER EARLY ONE MORNING THIS PAST WEEK TO THE NEW YORK CITY FLOWER MARKET.  SADLY THIS AREA OF NEW YORK HAS SHRUNK IN SIZE FROM  ABOUT 10 CITY BLOCK TO JUST A FEW..... BUT STILL VERY EXCITING TO SEE THE COLOR AND QUALITY AND QUANTITY OUT THERE.  WHEN POSSIBLE I TOOK OUT MY TRUSTY IPHONE AND SNAPPED AWAY. 

TULIPS, FABULOUS TULIPS......FRENCH AND DUTCH

CARNATIONS ARE ALWAYS A STAPLE

LUSHES ROSES

EXOTICA AND "FILLERS"

RANUNCULUS ONE O MY FAVORITE FLOWERS, MULTI PETALED AND LONG LASTING

ORDERS READY TO BE PAID AND PACKAGED

ONE OF THE WHOLESALERS ARRANGED THEIR STOCK  SO YOU WOULD DROOL AND EACH  BOUQUET

A SHOPPER GRABBING HER LOOT

THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE  OF THE MOMENT

ALWAYS A CAT TO KEEP THE MICE AWAY

CORAL PEONIES......DARN I ALREADY BOUGHT MY ALLOTMENT  FOR THE DAY

CLEMATIS FOR THE GARDEN

SO WHAT DID I PURCHASE AND DO WITH THE FLOWERS?  TULIPS AND RANUNCULUS OF COURSE! AND HERE IS THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING.....ERRR FLOWERS