APRIL - ARTICHOKE SEASON IN ITALY

Saturday, 14 April 2012 06:18

Written by Gemma

I always seem to write articles about food when down here on the gulf of Napoli at Pozzuoli. It is because the Italians are obsessed with food and what they are going to eat today and how good was it yesterday and yes maybe tomorrow even better…!!! And yes it rubs off on you!!...... read more click below

I am a foodie when other people cook for me but running Passion for Italy Travel I do not have much time left over for cooking after a hard day at the office. I appreciate the labour of love that other cooks offer me but normally at home I find it a chore to cook. Maybe that has something to do with having had to cook every day for a large family for many years!!….

However over here in Italy, the enthusiasm of the Italians is contagious!! Pepe my fruit man, when I am buying the delicious fruit and vegetables ( so cheap too) always asks me how I am going to cook them and I look at him and ask surreptitiously - "What do you suggest?" and he says - Do this and "un po di aioli" and then take it out - add lemon and oil and a few capers!!…. and it is always so simple but because of the wonderful flavour of the vegetables it is so goddamm delicious!! In fact vegetables get the main stay down here and meat after the veggies!!

This month it is artichoke season and tonight I cooked artichokes for the first time in my life and yes i am sold.!! Fantastic!! - so good - so great - so flavoursome!! omg!! why have i waited so long!!

Life is so exciting when you discover a new fantastic thing that you have not known before and one thinks - "Why has it taken so long to learn about this!!" In the last week I have eaten artichoke pie, fried hearts of artichoke and boiled artichokes leaves and I love them all and each method of cooking produces its own beautiful quality!!

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