Pretty much an anomaly, though I’ve noticed two or three things since I started watching that I thought were ‘just wrong’. Generally though, he’s great. I especially like the geekiness of his shows. I also like that he doesn’t like ‘unitaskers’. Why buy a special kitchen tool that does one thing, when something that does several things does the job? He reminds me a little bit of Bill Nye, The Science Guy. Like in the episode ‘My Big Fat Greek Sandwich’, where he shows how to make a gyro rotisserie with a couple of electric charcoal lighters, or in ‘The Curious Case of Curry’ where he makes a tandoor from a large terra cotta pot.
Wow, that sounds more like the Alton I’d heard about. No, wait, that kind of sounds like MacGyver…with food! Either way, thanks for not letting the mis-impression stick.
Does anyone else not trim? My parents never did growing up, and only learned when I was an adult that people did such a thing. I guess I don’t see the point, I am coordinated enough not to get jabbed, and it seems so time consuming. You’re also eating a thistle, they’re meant to be sharp.
True Scotsmen eat them whole, and don’t mess around with those nancy globe thistles, theirs are small and taste like sap.
I don’t trim my artichokes. On the referenced Good Eats episode, Alton Brown described the recommended ‘Eleven Cut Method’. He didn’t demonstrate. He thought it was silly and just made two cuts: the stem, and about an inch off the top.
But yeah, thistles have pointy bits. I just leave them on and avoid them.
I used to not trim. Now I trim. I think it makes for a more attractive presentation, and the setting is going to get messy enough as it is, what with all the scraped petals and the choke. Also, trimming means that there’s less waste on the plate. Even if I’ve cut the artichoke in two, and given half of it to my daughter, there’s still an awful lot of waste on each of our plates.
I trim. Those little points could put an eye out.
Are we still talking about artichokes?
Oops, wrong thread.
If i am cooking for mrAru and I for a casual dinner or snacking at home, no trimming. If I am having a fancy dinner party, I will trim. Unless the recipe is for something that is different like a cream of artichoke soup, or using the base as part of a garnish.
Anybody else like battered and deep fried marinated artichoke hearts?