When I was little I watched cartoons on Saturday mornings.
At one o’clock custody of the television passed to my mother, who watched Victory Garden, an American public television show that tours some of America’s greatest gardens.
I hated this show.
Now that I’m all growed up, I rather like it. A couple years ago I was watching Victory Garden when they interviewed a chef from Boston who used sunflowers like artichokes. I filed this idea in the deeper recesses of my brain until this summer, when I came into some sunflowers from Tipi Creek.
I pulled out the flower petals, then started cutting away the dark brown seed heads until I had something that looked sort of kind of a little bit like an artichoke:
As a controlled taste-test, I simmered this flower head in lightly salted water until tender.
The result was pretty gross. A slightly slimey texture, an off-putting, floral taste (duh…)
If anyone out there knows how to prepare sunflower heads, I’m all ears.