I’ve written before about my love of all things fried. Fried calamari, garlic french fries, fried chicken, tempura…the list goes on and on. If it’s fried, chances are I’ll like it.
But I’ve never been a huge fan of artichokes. I don’t hate ’em, but they usually don’t do much for me.
I was at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk yesterday and a friend who was with me said I had to try the fried artichokes at one of the food stands. I was in heaven to begin with with the smell of corn dogs, funnel cakes, and garlic fries wafting through the air (I didn’t get to have any of those things. That’s a whole different story). But I’d never had fried artichokes before and I was certainly game to try some.
Flickr photo courtesy of “hhd”
My friends and I shared two baskets full of these greasy little morsels. The artichoke hearts were deep fried to a nice light brown and were absolutely delicious. They were light, crisp, and the batter had specks of what I’m guessing were herbs or seasonings. And the artichoke hearts didn’t taste like they came from a jar or a can. Those can be annoyingly zesty and sour, almost like they’re pickled. They also came with some generic ranch dressing, which I used for a couple of pieces. But they were so tasty they almost didn’t need them.
If I hadn’t left the Boardwalk so soon I would’ve tried a deep fried Twinkie, too. Then again, maybe I saved myself from a heart attack.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – 400 Beach St. – Santa Cruz – 831.423.5590
Virgo in Wonderland 