I have a confession: I am a shopaholic. My shopping issues do not manifest themselves in the form of designer handbags or shoes. Oh no, when I come home from a shopping spree I have bags stuffed with all manner of comestibles, only the bare minimum of which actually appeared on my rambling shopping lists (I always have more than one). You see, aside from actual cooking, I can think of nothing that is more therapeutic than wandering the aisles of a grocery store. I get so excited by new things, especially produce and cheese that I have never tried before, that somehow they end up in my cart, even though I don't have any recipes in mind, and I have a fridge and cabinets full of food at home. And there's the rub; when it comes time to put my new groceries away, I inevitably find some sad, forgotten produce in the bottom of my crisper and I am overcome with guilt when I have to throw it away. This is the point where my grocery shopping-addicted self promises to stop the insanity; only essentials until the fridge is no longer overflowing!
Of course, it never lasts. I was at the supermarket for a gallon of milk and some bananas when I spotted the baby artichokes. They were just so cute (there is something irresistible about mini-vegetables, stayed tuned for my baby eggplant adventure), I had to have them. So I came home with baby artichokes and no idea what to do with them. I had prepared a fresh artichoke once, years ago. I cooked it in the microwave and I made some terrible aioli that immediately went in the trash. Certainly not the best way to be introduced to fresh artichokes, and from that point on my artichokes came from a can; fresh artichokes were too daunting.
