How to Eat Artichoke: A Delicious Journey from Leaf to Heart

Artichokes may seem intimidating at first glance, with their tough outer leaves and unfamiliar shape. But once you learn how to prepare and eat them, you’ll discover they’re not only delicious but also rich in fiber, antioxidants, and essential nutrients. Here’s a simple guide to help you enjoy this unique vegetable from start to finish.

1. Choosing and Storing Artichokes

When buying fresh artichokes, look for ones that feel firm, heavy for their size, and have tightly packed leaves. A squeaky sound when the leaves are rubbed together is a good sign of freshness. Store them in the refrigerator, unwashed, in a plastic bag for up to a week.

2. How to Prepare an Artichoke

Preparing an artichoke takes a few steps, but it’s easier than it looks:

• Rinse the artichoke under cold water.

• Trim the stem, leaving about 2–3 cm.

• Cut off the top (about 2–3 cm) to remove the sharp leaf tips.

• Use kitchen scissors to snip the pointy ends of the outer leaves if desired.

Once trimmed, you can steam, boil, roast, or even grill the whole artichoke. Steaming is the most common method and usually takes 30–45 minutes, depending on the size.

3. How to Eat an Artichoke

Here’s where it gets fun:

• Start with the outer leaves. Pull off one leaf at a time, dip the base in a sauce (like melted butter, garlic aioli, or vinaigrette), and scrape the soft, edible flesh off the bottom of the leaf using your teeth. Discard the rest of the leaf.

• Work your way inward. The leaves become more tender as you go.

• Remove the choke. When you reach the center, you’ll find a fuzzy layer called the "choke"—this is not edible. Use a spoon to gently scrape it off and reveal the artichoke heart.

• Enjoy the heart. This is the prize: tender, flavorful, and completely edible. Slice it, dip it, or add it to salads, pastas, or pizzas.

4. Serving and Flavor Tips

Artichokes pair beautifully with lemon, garlic, olive oil, and herbs like thyme or parsley. For a Mediterranean touch, try stuffing them with breadcrumbs, cheese, and herbs before baking.

5. Final Thoughts

Eating an artichoke is a bit of a ritual—and that’s part of the charm. It’s not just a vegetable; it’s an experience. From peeling off each leaf to savoring the heart, this unique food offers both flavor and satisfaction. If you’ve never tried it before, now is the perfect time to give it a go.

How to Eat Asparagus: A Fresh and Simple Guide

Asparagus is a highly nutritious vegetable that’s often overlooked, but it deserves a place in your kitchen. With its tender texture and delicate flavor, asparagus can be prepared in many delicious ways. Whether you’re new to cooking or simply looking to include more greens in your meals, this guide will help you enjoy asparagus with confidence.

1. Choosing and Storing Fresh Asparagus

When buying asparagus, look for firm, bright green stalks with tightly closed tips. Thinner stalks are usually more tender, while thicker ones have a slightly woodier texture but are still flavorful when cooked properly. Store fresh asparagus in the fridge, standing upright in a glass of water or wrapped in a damp paper towel to keep it crisp.

2. How to Prepare Asparagus

Before cooking, rinse the stalks thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or sand. Then, snap off the tough ends by bending each stalk near the base—the woody part will naturally break off. You can also trim the ends with a knife for a cleaner look.

3. Popular Ways to Eat Asparagus

Asparagus can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes and cooking styles:

• Steamed: This is a simple and healthy method. Steam the stalks for 3–5 minutes until tender but still slightly crisp.

• Roasted: Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes until golden and slightly crispy.

• Grilled: Perfect for barbecues—grill asparagus for a smoky flavor and beautiful char marks.

• Sautéed: Cook quickly in a hot pan with garlic, olive oil, or butter for a delicious side dish.

• In salads or pasta: Cut into smaller pieces and add to pasta, risotto, or grain salads for extra flavor and color.

4. Pairing and Seasoning Ideas

Asparagus pairs well with lemon, garlic, parmesan cheese, eggs, and even prosciutto. A drizzle of balsamic glaze or a sprinkle of toasted almonds can also elevate a simple dish.

5. Final Thoughts

Eating asparagus is easy, and it adds both flavor and nutrition to your meals. Once you get the hang of preparing it, you’ll find that it’s one of the most flexible and rewarding vegetables to cook with. Whether served as a side dish or the star of your plate, asparagus is a fresh and elegant addition to any meal.

How to Eat Avocado: A Simple Guide to This Superfood

Avocados have become a staple in modern diets, and for good reason. They're delicious, versatile, and packed with healthy fats, fiber, and essential nutrients. But if you’ve never prepared one before, you might be unsure where to start. Don’t worry—here’s a straightforward guide to help you enjoy avocado the right way.

1. Choosing the Right Avocado

Before you can eat an avocado, you need to pick one that’s ripe. A ripe avocado feels slightly soft when you press it gently—similar to a peach or plum. If it’s too firm, let it sit at room temperature for a few days. Avoid avocados with dark, sunken spots or overly mushy areas.

2. How to Cut and Prepare It

Cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed. Twist the two halves apart, and carefully remove the pit—either by scooping it out with a spoon or tapping it gently with a knife and twisting. Then, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin.

3. Ways to Eat Avocado

Avocados can be enjoyed in many ways:

• On toast: Smash the flesh and spread it over whole-grain toast. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice.

• In salads: Dice it and mix it into your favorite salad for a creamy texture.

• As guacamole: Mash it and combine with lime juice, chopped onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.

• In smoothies: Blend it with fruits and yogurt for a rich, creamy drink.

• With eggs: Pair it with scrambled or poached eggs for a nutritious breakfast.

4. Tips for Storing Leftovers

Avocados oxidize quickly, turning brown when exposed to air. To keep leftovers fresh, sprinkle them with lemon or lime juice and store in an airtight container. If you're saving half an avocado, keep the pit in—it helps slow down the browning process.

5. Final Thoughts

Eating avocado is simple once you know how to handle it. It’s a nutritious addition to almost any meal and can be adapted to suit both sweet and savory dishes. Whether you're a health enthusiast or just looking to try something new, avocado is a delicious and satisfying choice.

Travelling In Iran

We have been traveled 15 days long in Iran and visited 4 cities. We realized that Iran is not a dangerous like shown in TV.

Firstly, everything is incredibly cheap in Iran. You can travel all the country with little budget. The best dishes and the hotels are waiting for you...

Money

Currency in Iran is Riyal but the prices are listed in Tumen. (10 Riyal = 1 Tumen)  I agree, it is a little bit complicated. Credit or ATM Card is not used in Iran. The best choice is Dollar, there are a lot of exchange office. You can change the money.

Language

The population of Iran is almost 80 million and people speak Persian. Nevertheless the young people can speak English very well. Don't hesitate communicate with the people; they are so friendly, hospitable and willing to help you.

Rules

Iran is an Islamic republic that's why there are some rules that all the people have to obey. Women have to cover their head with scarf and can't wear dress like short or t-shirt. Men can't also wear short :(

Transportation

Buses are the best choice for the transportation between the cities. It’s cheap and comfortable. In the city center, we didn’t use any buses because it is a little bit hard to understand where the buses go that’s why we used taxies. The taxies are not colored in yellow like in the other countries because every car is taxi. :)

Food-Drink

Food Beverage is extremely cheap like other things. I think Kebab is the best choice. Be aware, alcohol is forbidden in Iran. Don’t try to drink or find alcohol… Instead of alcohol, you can drink tea :)

Have good journey…

Where to Visit in Brussels? - Manneken Pis

The sculpture  which has no qualities is a symbol of Brussels...

This bronze statue was made in the 17th century. The little boy has about 800 clothes and the oldest one is belongs to 1698...

The statue has been stolen a few times in history. Firstly it was abducted in 1745... The little boy was stolen again a few years later by a Frenchman but Louis donate a golden costume to make up for it...

There are so many legends about sculpture. Some of these;

-Our little friend  defuse a bomb with pissing during a battle, saves the city and becomes a hero then it was sculpted.

-A rich man loses his son in the city and all the people start looking for him. Eventually they find her in a corner while pissing so the statue was made in memory of this.

Our little boy has a lot of clothes that's why you can see it in different clothes at different times of a year...

Temple of Augustus, Ankara, Turkey

Roman Emperor Augustus gave four documents to nuns shortly before of his death. The first included his testament, the second is his orders for the funeral, the third is all information about the Empire and the last one included his works during the time he ruled the empire.

His step son Nero sent these four documents to Rome after the Augustus's death and putted on the plate front of Augustus's tomb.

The documents were copied and sent to the temples in the land where Roman Empire ruled... they couldn't withstand the destructive power of the time and the original texts disappeared with those in Rome...

Today, there is only the last document in the Temple of Augustus in Ankara. For this reason the temple is so important and famous...

Augustus Temple was converted into a church during the Byzantine period and three windows was built. Today these windows are still standing...

Today, the temple shares the same place with Hacı Bayram Veli Mosque, supports eachother and stands against time...

Note: The temple has been stand in Ulus about two tousand years now :), When you come to Ulus, you can find if you ask someone or follow the signs... Have a nice trip...

Postcrossing.com - Connecting the World

Who wants to receive postcards from anywhere in the World? If your answer is YES!, the site that we will describe is exactly for you...

The site we explain is postcrossing.com...

First you must subscribe to site for receiving cards, then system give to you 5 member from any countries... There are a lot of information what they likes...

Before receiving cards you must sent cards to the members with the number on the system... It is necessary because the member who receive the cards confirm your sending...

Finally you have a right receiving the cards and the system continues like this...

In addition, I don't know why but Finland has a most member in the World...

Where to Visit in Sicily? - Scala dei Turchi

Scala dei Turchi is one of the best places I have been luckily discover in Sicily...

Scala dei Turchi is an italian word and it means "Stair of the Turks"... The place reminds us Pamukkale where is located in Turkey...

Why is the name of this place "Scala dei Turchi"? While we arguing this question, we learned that the story based on history of Turkish Pirates...

In history, Turkish Pirates used this stairs when invaded the city, so the Sicilian people named this place as a Scala dei Turchi...

As a result, the name of this beautiful place started to be called Turkish Stairs...

The legend is not exactly known but we definitely recommend to visit Scala dei Turchi...

The Flag of Sicily

The flag of Sicily compose of three legs and one face in center. Three legs represent corners of the island and the face belongs to Medusa... There are two main color in the flag... The red color represent Palermo and yellow color is for Corleone town...

The flag has been started to use officially in all offical places on 4 January 2000...

Iran and The Doors

In fact, it is possible to see these doors almost everywhere in Anatolia, Turkey but we explain that under the Iran title...

The door has characterized 2 knobs, one of these is large and the other small... The knobs have a different voices when someone uses them...

Big one is for men's use and the other one (small knob) is for women and so the people who lives in home understand which gender comes...

Lake Eymir, Ankara

One of the best places where you can spend your time in Ankara is Eymir Lake...

What to do in Eymir Lake?

The circumference of the lake is about 13 km and it is covered by asphalt road. You can ride a bike or jog on this road and enjoy the fresh air. If you are tired after these activities, you can eat delicious pancake and grilled fish sandwich while watchning the lake... Bon Appetit...

It's possible to catch fish and have barbecue but don't forget to take precautions against fires...

One of the most popular activities in Lake Eymir is riding bicycle , but bicycle rental prices are officially robbery. After giving the last 10 Turkish Liras per day in Izmir, these prices were very high...

We recommend that going to the lake early. There is also an incredible population of bees around the lake, beware!