Tag: salad

Salad Before, After, or With Your Entree?
Do you serve salad before, after, or with your entree? In France and Italy, salads are often served at the end of meals. For many years, American restaurants and especially catered events have placed salads at the start of the menu.

This was a recent topic of conversation at our house. We were mainly interested in the reasons why salads should be served at the beginning or end of the meal.

Ed thought it might have to do with the interaction of wine and vinegar. His theory was that you wait until the end of the meal so you can enjoy your wine without the vinegar.

Penny has been reading about vinegar as an aid to digestion and use as a sort of antacid and added the possibility of salad with a vinaigrette dressing being used as a digestive aid.

A tour of the topic around the cyber world found it an often asked question with a wide variety of answers – some that agreed with ours and plenty of additional thought.
- Over at the www.kitchn.com the community responded to: Cultural Differences: Salad Before or After Dinner?
- Nutritional experts at www.sharecare.com gave opinions on: Is it better to eat salad before or after your meal?
- And the chowhounds weighed in on: eat your salad after the entree?
We have three guesses as to why restaurants and caterers opt for salad as a starter, because it:
- Gets the meal underway fast
- Turns the tables quicker
- Gives diners something to eat while waiters circulate with the next course
Around here, a salad is often the meal. We add this-and-that and turn a plate of greens into lunch or supper. The photo above is from a salad we made to clean out the kitchen before we left Provincetown last September.

Food writer Patricia Wells has often inspired salad meals around here. In addition to the offerings in her Bistro Cooking
and The Provence Cookbook, she also wrote the wonderful, Salad as a Meal.

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Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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February 18, 2013
Focaccia Croutons Are Tops

While I don’t enjoy TV cooking contests, I do love to set myself a challenge now and then. A favorite one is using up what is left on hand as we get ready to leave a rental house.

We had purchased a loaf of focaccia the day before and had what we needed to make a big salad, so the focaccia became croutons. I cut the bread into cubes and sautéed those in a bit of butter and olive oil. Before they left the skillet, I tossed them with salt, black pepper, aleppo pepper, and fine french herbs. This made some of the best croutons I’ve ever had.

This was Deep Dish Rosemany Focaccia from Iggy’s Bread of the World. Fortunately, it’s sold at Angell Foods in the East End of Provincetown as well as around the Greater Boston area. We’ve bought it at the Copley farmers’ market.

The salad the croutons topped was a vision in green with romaine lettuce, cucumber, and avacado. It made a great combination and cleaned out the vegetable bin.

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Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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October 4, 2012
Focaccia Croutons Are Tops

While I don’t enjoy TV cooking contests, I do love to set myself a challenge now and then. A favorite one is using up what is left on hand as we get ready to leave a rental house.

We had purchased a loaf of focaccia the day before and had what we needed to make a big salad, so the focaccia became croutons. I cut the bread into cubes and sautéed those in a bit of butter and olive oil. Before they left the skillet, I tossed them with salt, black pepper, aleppo pepper, and fine french herbs. This made some of the best croutons I’ve ever had.

This was Deep Dish Rosemany Focaccia from Iggy’s Bread of the World. Fortunately, it’s sold at Angell Foods in the East End of Provincetown as well as around the Greater Boston area. We’ve bought it at the Copley farmers’ market.

The salad the croutons topped was a vision in green with romaine lettuce, cucumber, and avacado. It made a great combination and cleaned out the vegetable bin.

What’s on your food lover’s shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs. and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

When Autumn Comes…

Apples And Raisins Sourdough Focaccia With Rye

Simple September Eats: Panzanella Salad

Easy Focaccia Adds Panache to Simple Meals

How to Make Croutons

October 4, 2012
Focaccia Croutons Are Tops

While I don’t enjoy TV cooking contests, I do love to set myself a challenge now and then. A favorite one is using up what is left on hand as we get ready to leave a rental house.

We had purchased a loaf of focaccia the day before and had what we needed to make a big salad, so the focaccia became croutons. I cut the bread into cubes and sautéed those in a bit of butter and olive oil. Before they left the skillet, I tossed them with salt, black pepper, aleppo pepper, and fine french herbs. This made some of the best croutons I’ve ever had.

This was Deep Dish Rosemany Focaccia from Iggy’s Bread of the World. Fortunately, it’s sold at Angell Foods in the East End of Provincetown as well as around the Greater Boston area. We’ve bought it at the Copley farmers’ market.

The salad the croutons topped was a vision in green with romaine lettuce, cucumber, and avacado. It made a great combination and cleaned out the vegetable bin.

What’s on your food lover’s shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs. and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

When Autumn Comes…

Apples And Raisins Sourdough Focaccia With Rye

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How to Make Croutons

October 4, 2012
Simple Tomato Cucumber Salad

For years, when August brought me local tomatoes, I've chopped some of them with cucumber, scallions and herbs, dressed them with olive oil and vinegar, and enjoyed serving this fresh, healthy salad.

Recently I was talking to Fatima, a friend from Morocco, about the dish and she gave me her version. She uses lemon instead of vinegar. I'm a fan of lemon zest so I used both the lemon zest and juice and loved the result. In the photo (above) there is also some celery I found in the crisper and a sprinkle of my favorite Aleppo pepper over the salad.

It also has a mix of tomatoes. I cut up a big Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato and then added a few cherry tomatoes cut in quarters.

In the most basic version of this salad, you chop tomatoes, cucumbers, and scallions; season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and some kind of acid ingredient – vinegar, lemon, lime, etc. Then you can take it to what ever culture you choose.

Add some feta cheese, Kalamata olives, red onion, and green pepper with a sprinkle of oregano and you have a Greek version.

Dice tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley and you have an I sraeli salad. Add garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime– and it's salsa.

You can switch up the seasoning and have a different salad each day of the week. And, this base also takes on additions like cheese, beans, and legumes to turn it into a meal. All those lovely juices that come from the mix are perfect for dipping grilled slices of bread or tossing with toasted croutons to make a version of Italian panzanella!

What's on your Back to School shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your back to school needs, and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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August 20, 2012
Simple Tomato Cucumber Salad

For years, when August brought me local tomatoes, I've chopped some of them with cucumber, scallions and herbs, dressed them with olive oil and vinegar, and enjoyed serving this fresh, healthy salad.

Recently I was talking to Fatima, a friend from Morocco, about the dish and she gave me her version. She uses lemon instead of vinegar. I'm a fan of lemon zest so I used both the lemon zest and juice and loved the result. In the photo (above) there is also some celery I found in the crisper and a sprinkle of my favorite Aleppo pepper over the salad.

It also has a mix of tomatoes. I cut up a big Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato and then added a few cherry tomatoes cut in quarters.

In the most basic version of this salad, you chop tomatoes, cucumbers, and scallions; season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and some kind of acid ingredient – vinegar, lemon, lime, etc. Then you can take it to what ever culture you choose.

Add some feta cheese, Kalamata olives, red onion, and green pepper with a sprinkle of oregano and you have a Greek version.

Dice tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley and you have an I sraeli salad. Add garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime– and it's salsa.

You can switch up the seasoning and have a different salad each day of the week. And, this base also takes on additions like cheese, beans, and legumes to turn it into a meal. All those lovely juices that come from the mix are perfect for dipping grilled slices of bread or tossing with toasted croutons to make a version of Italian panzanella!

What's on your Back to School shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your back to school needs, and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Fattoush

Goat Cheese and Olives: Quick & Easy Appetizer

Smooth Top Cooktop Tips

Cooking Sweet Corn: Microwave, Grilling, and Elote!

Where is this Bridge? Play Attention to Detail.

August 20, 2012
Simple Tomato Cucumber Salad

For years, when August brought me local tomatoes, I've chopped some of them with cucumber, scallions and herbs, dressed them with olive oil and vinegar, and enjoyed serving this fresh, healthy salad.

Recently I was talking to Fatima, a friend from Morocco, about the dish and she gave me her version. She uses lemon instead of vinegar. I'm a fan of lemon zest so I used both the lemon zest and juice and loved the result. In the photo (above) there is also some celery I found in the crisper and a sprinkle of my favorite Aleppo pepper over the salad.

It also has a mix of tomatoes. I cut up a big Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato and then added a few cherry tomatoes cut in quarters.

In the most basic version of this salad, you chop tomatoes, cucumbers, and scallions; season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and some kind of acid ingredient – vinegar, lemon, lime, etc. Then you can take it to what ever culture you choose.

Add some feta cheese, Kalamata olives, red onion, and green pepper with a sprinkle of oregano and you have a Greek version.

Dice tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley and you have an I sraeli salad. Add garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime– and it's salsa.

You can switch up the seasoning and have a different salad each day of the week. And, this base also takes on additions like cheese, beans, and legumes to turn it into a meal. All those lovely juices that come from the mix are perfect for dipping grilled slices of bread or tossing with toasted croutons to make a version of Italian panzanella!

What's on your Back to School shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your back to school needs, and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Fattoush

Goat Cheese and Olives: Quick & Easy Appetizer

Smooth Top Cooktop Tips

Cooking Sweet Corn: Microwave, Grilling, and Elote!

Where is this Bridge? Play Attention to Detail.

August 20, 2012
Saturn Peach Season Is Here!

Saturn peach, doughnut peach, paraguayo peach, pan tao peach, saucer peach, belly-up peach, UFO peach, or hat peach– this peach has many names. We just call it delicious and think it’s worth an annual notice from us to you that they are now available.

We’ve bought some from Keown at the Copley Market and found some surprisingly good ones at Trader Joe’s. Ed has a few in his oatmeal each morning. I just love them as an afternoon snack.

More about Saturn Peaches at:

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New investors may need to learn a thing or two about the produce market. Here’s a great primer.

How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011-2012 Penny Cherubino

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August 9, 2012
Saturn Peach Season Is Here!

Saturn peach, doughnut peach, paraguayo peach, pan tao peach, saucer peach, belly-up peach, UFO peach, or hat peach– this peach has many names. We just call it delicious and think it’s worth an annual notice from us to you that they are now available.

We’ve bought some from Keown at the Copley Market and found some surprisingly good ones at Trader Joe’s. Ed has a few in his oatmeal each morning. I just love them as an afternoon snack.

More about Saturn Peaches at:

Get the Most from Your Investment– Stock Up on Saturn Peaches!

They’re Back! All the Way from– Saturn!

Saturn Peaches Are Here, Again!

Saturn Peaches, or Donut Peaches, or….

New investors may need to learn a thing or two about the produce market. Here’s a great primer.

How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011-2012 Penny Cherubino

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August 9, 2012
Brasserie JO’s Salade Niçoise: A Best Bite
Brasserie Jo at the Colonnade Hotel is a wonderful spot for a hearty lunch. Ed's favorite there is the Salade Niçoise with medium rare tuna.

Each part of this dish gets the attention needed to make the whole an outstanding version of this classic French brasserie salad. The tuna is trimmed and tender, grilled with that balance of rare and sear that marks a good grill cook.

The greens are crackling fresh, the kind Ed would eat without dressing, by the handful, if he were in his own kitchen. Green beans, potatoes, pickled onion, chopped eggs are all allowed to let their personalities shine.

The next time you're hungry for a big, big salad, think about giving this one a try. Or, at the bar, you can share it with a friend followed by their famous profiteroles with a giant pour of chocolate sauce for dessert.

Who's on your gift-giving shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Brasserie JO‎
```
120 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02116 (map)
The Colonnade Hotel‎
(617) 425-3240
www.brasseriejoboston.com‎
```
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
May 24, 2012