acidulate

[bbeeton]

I've just returned from a conference in Germany, where I was delighted to find (baby) artichokes on the menu served in several forms, although not the way my mother prepared the full-grown thistles in my childhood.

That was the following: Take a full-grown artichoke, trim the thorny leaf ends, scrub out any unwanted debris from under the leaves, trim off the dry end of the stem, set in about an inch of acidulated water (in a steel or enamel pot, not aluminum), put a tight lid on the pot, and steam until lifting by a leaf will cause the leaf to pull out. Cool to desired temperature, and serve with something to dip the leaves in. Melted butter or mayonnaise were the usual dips. The result is yummy finger food; not suitable for a formal dinner. (A cold artichoke once accompanied me to school for lunch, to the utter puzzlement of my classmates.)

Acidulated water, in this case, means that lemon juice or vinegar has been added.

[Slava]

Not to be confused with assiduous.

What's the difference between acidulate and acidify?

[bbeeton]

What's the difference? Conceptually, nothing, I believe. But my mother was a teacher (second grade, not second-rate), and I suppose her use of big words rubbed off on me.