A video showing Global News anchors choking and gagging on a poorly made artichoke dip has gone viral, gaining thousands of likes and shares from people all over the world.
Last week, Calgary traffic reporter Leslie Horton brought the homemade dip to work as part of a week-long segment featuring holiday treats from Global Calgary anchors.
Horton admitted the dip wasn’t her first choice; she was planning to bring a fruitcake from Safeway but her sister encouraged her to try making a recipe of hers that is always a crowd pleaser.
Unfortunately, Horton said something with the dip went “horribly wrong.”
“It didn’t work out. I’m telling you right now, this did not work out,” Horton admitted.
In the video, posted to Global Calgary’s website and the Global News YouTube channel on Friday, meteorologist Jordan Witzel and anchors Scott Fee and Amber Schinkel sample the disastrous dip.
“I thought it smelled like a barn,” Fee said. “Is it edible?”
The dip had an overwhelming taste of vinegar, despite Horton’s insistence that none was added.
“That’s like all that I can taste is vinegar,” Schinkel laughed. “It burns.”
WATCH: Leslie Horton shared her favourite treat to make at Christmas — but admitted her recipe for artichoke dip went “terribly wrong”
As of Monday at 10 a.m., the video was number six on YouTube’s trending list with over 850,000 views.
“I’m so glad my cooking fail brought a smile to so many faces,” Horton said.
“It was just another kitchen experiment gone wrong for me, but this time my co-workers were unfortunately subject to my free-wheeling in the kitchen”
So why was the dip such a disaster?
Horton admitted she used marinated artichokes instead of fresh (thus the vinegar taste) and a “dry mandarin orange” instead of fresh lemon juice. Lastly, she improvised her spices.
“It turns out celery salt does not belong in artichoke dip,” Horton said.
“I am a terrible cook. I could create a cookbook with all the recipes and dishes I have ruined. I need to stop improvising in the kitchen but I keep trying.”
When asked why she thought the video seemed to strike a chord with so many people, Horton said it was “an honest moment of good fun, caught on live TV.”
“My co-workers’ reactions were priceless,” she said. “We all have fails, and viewers like to know their morning team is just like them.”
Horton said the dip is “delicious” when her sister makes it.
“She wants everyone to know the recipe was not at fault, it was operator error on my part.”
In case you were curious about what happened to the dip following the segment, Horton brought it to an afternoon Christmas potluck lunch at Global Calgary.
“Nobody touched it,” Horton said. “I think the legend of the ‘choke dip reached enough people that they got scared off.”
The video was featured on news websites around the world including Huffington Post, Today, Esquire and Mashable,
Artichoke dip recipe from Leslie Horton:
- 2 cans artichokes drained and chopped
- 1 can chopped green chilies drained
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
- ½ to ¾ cup Mayo
Combine all ingredients and cook in oven until hot and bubbly. Serve with crackers and veggies.