Gourmet Artichokes, Baked and Cheesy

Artichoke Normandy Recipe

This delectable Baked Artichoke Normandy has no place on the calorie counters menu. However, if unimagined gourmet taste is among your desires, these—easy to make—baked Artichokes dressed in a Cheesy Normandy Cream Sherry Wine Sauce are going to end up at the top of your craving's list. Rich, a little decadent, and a very special offering; this recipe is sure to have them begging for more every time you bring a plate-full to the table.

Gourmet Artichokes Are No Place For Dieters

Your taste buds will be transported to a place few have been and many long to experience. You and your dining guests will be speechless in the presence of such gourmet divinity! Your waistline will never forgive you, but your taste buds will worship you forever.The dish does come with a warning though;

WARNING: If you are watching your caloric intake, avoid eating this recipe more than three times in any given year!

A Beautiful And Tasty Garden Vegetable

If you have not had a fresh grown artichoke, you are really missing out on a fantastic taste experience. Artichokes do take a good amount of room to grow—about 3 feet per plant—but if you are a fan of this lovely treat, the space is well used! The bonus is that they are a very beautiful and colorful plant, which helps the aesthetics in the garden as well.

Also, when we consider that most of the stock we buy in the markets these days (in the USA anyway) has some age on it, making the artichokes unfortunately tough, the home garden makes good sense. Even in California where a majority of artichokes are grown in the U.S., getting them fresh to the markets can take time. So, it would seem that growing your own fresh stock is the best bet when it comes to flavor as well as texture.

Growing your own fresh artichokes can be a joy, and well worth the hassle of taking care of a garden. When first starting out with your artichoke garden, it is recommended that you buy or trade for starter plants rather than growing them from seeds. You may get a number of seeds in each inexpensive seed package, but not all of those seeds will result in a quality plant or a plant at all. Many variety of artichokes are available, depending on location and season. Here are just a few that may help you decide which variety you want to plant in your garden.

1. Big Heart Artichokes - Rusty Jordan, a California grower developed this properly named artichoke. This behemoth sports a large, fleshy base that actually weighs in at more than pound! The Big Heart variety is a beautiful shade of green and because of its size, it is fantastic for stuffing.

2. Baby Anzio Artichokes - On the opposing end of the artichoke spectrum, we find the tiny reddish-purple gem known as baby anzio. This bright colored thistle has roots found in the Lazio region of Italy, not a bad pedigree at all! Measuring in at 1'' in diameter when full grown, these can be eaten whole in one flavorful bite.

3. Omaha Artichokes - You will find this variety a little less bitter than most artichokes. It also offers a more refined appearance with its spear-like tapered red-and-green leaves. This choke can grow up to six inches wide, and is quite a dense round treat.

4. Classic Green Globe Artichokes - With its thick broad meaty leaf base, rich-tasting heart and bottom, this artichoke variety gets my attention. Originally a perennial, this grand delight was brought to California via Italy, but is said to look more like a summer choke found in France. It measures anywhere from three to five inches in diameter and has become my ultimate favorite artichoke to use in just about any recipe.