This asparagus salad is the perfect side to almost any main you prepare. The cast of characters are crunchy radishes, grilled or roasted al dente asparagus, goat cheese, nuts of your choice all sitting on a bed of arugula and spinach. Dressed and drizzled with a fresh lemon vinaigrette and then topped off with a garnish of crispy prosciutto chips.
Asparagus are in season now and at their peak in flavor, so now is the time to make this for your upcoming parties and get togethers.
The crispy prosciutto chips add a delicious finishing touch to this salad and gives it a wow factor and pretty presentation.
With Easter and Mother’s day coming up this could be your perfect side dish.
A spring side dish featuring asparagus that you’ll enjoy over and over!
Author: Marie
Ingredients
1 lb. grilled or roasted asparagus, cooked very al dente so it still has a nice bite, then sliced in half lengthwise A mix of arugula and spinach, enough to fill a pretty platter 3 or 4 thinly sliced radishes 4 oz. chevre goats cheese 3 Tbl. toasted hazelnuts or any nuts of your choice 4 or 5 slices of prosciutto that will be oven crisp and broken in half LEMON VINAIGRETTE 4 Tbl. fresh lemon juice 12 Tbl. of olive oil a dollop of Djon salt and pepper
Instructions
Roast your asparagus at 375 for maybe only 5 minutes. The asparagus should not be mushy or limp. Let them cool and then slice in half lengthwise. Lower temp to 350 and place the prosciutto on a parchment lined baking sheet, roast maybe 10-15 minutes, keep checking they could burn fast, ovens vary. In a large bowl add the goat cheese and a couple of tablespoons of the vinaigrette, soften it up a little then toss in the sliced, cooked asparagus and coat well. Add the greens, nuts and radishes tossing gently. Place everything onto a platter and spoon more of the vinaigrette all over, as much to your liking. Garnish the salad with the shards of crispy prosciutto that you broke in half.
Spring is around the corner with Easter, Mother’s day, Father’s day and summer in the near future. I can’t think of a better breakfast or brunch option than these lemon ricotta pancakes during the warm weather.
The lemon and the ricotta remind me of spring and time to lighten up, no more heavy winter foods.
The pancakes are enhanced by a dollop of lemon curd spooned on top that warms up with the heat of the pancake and mingles together with the maple syrup as you cut through them, the flavors are out of this world!
I chose to make 6 inch size pancakes, but you can certainly make smaller ones but I would suggest to double the recipe if your making them they’re that good! I yielded 6, six inch pancakes with this recipe.
The lemon curd is a must, don’t bother making it from scratch, there are some great store bought brands which are good quality and taste terrific.
Garnish with fresh seasonal berries and I promise you this will be a hit with your family and friends in the months to come!
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Berries
Fluffy texture bright flavor in these lemon ricotta pancakes.
Author: Marie
Serves: 6 -6 inch pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup of full fat ricotta cheese, if using deli kind let the moisture drain out, otherwise purchase a full fat variety that is typically located by the cream cheese, mozzarella area in a grocery store. 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup whole milk ( you definitely want the consistency of pancake batter, you might want to add a little more or less depending on how thick it is when mixed.) 2 eggs ½ tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 3 Tbsp of sugar zest of a whole lemon 1 jar of lemon curd fresh berries butter for swiping the pan powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
In a medium sized bowl add the drain ricotta cheese, then add in the eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and whisk well to combine. In a smaller bowl add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, whisk well to combine. Now add the flour mixture to the wet ricotta ingredients folding gently with a spatula until you see no dry flour areas. Heat up your pan, swipe with a little butter, like I said i made 6 inch pancakes so I poured about a third or so on the bottom and shook the pan to spread the batter evenly around. I kept heat at medium and didn’t flip until bubbles were showing up in the middle and edges of the pancake, you can peak underneath to make sure you see an nice golden brow, then flip over. Give the other side a couple of minutes then place onto a wire rack instead of paper towels, you don’t want them to get soggy. Eat them warm dust with powdered sugar and serve them with a dollop of lemon curd on top along with fresh berries.
Chicken Francese is an Italian-American dish that consists of thinly pounded chicken cutlets, dredged in flour then egg, then fast sautéed and which will ultimately end up in a delicious lemon, butter and wine sauce.
It sounds like chicken piccata but it’s really not. Picatta has capers, this does not. Picatta is dipped in egg then flour, Francese is dredged in flour first then egg, and it really makes a difference.
You must have thinly sliced chicken breast, so you’ll need to slice a whole breast lengthwise and then pound it down a little, of course unless you can find it already done for you like I did.
Another important thing is you’ll want to heat your pan up really good and hot, add the oil and when the olive oil shimmers you can do your fast cooking on each side, but don’t over crowd the pan!
I love serving this dish with angel hair pasta better known as capellini, the thin strands soak up all the juices, it’s perfect!
For something green I made some rapini on the side which went very well with it all.
My family came over and we made this dish together, a fun night together and we enjoyed every bite!
Chicken swimming in a delicious lemony butter sauce served with capellini pasta.
Author: Marie
Ingredients
4 whole chicken breast, thinly sliced lengthwise to equal 8 pieces all together pounded down to make them nice and thin 1 cup flour 3 eggs 1 cup of white wine 3 cups chicken stock ¼ cup lemon juice 1 shallot, chopped 3 cloves, chopped garlic 1 lemon zested and sliced butter and olive oil fresh chopped parsley 1 lb. of angel hair pasta/ capellini
Instructions
Set up all your ingredients first, have everything chopped and ready. to go because this goes pretty fast, while you’re doing that start heating up your pan, don’t use a nonstick pan, stainless is best for this. Have your dredging stations set up, in the flour add salt and pepper, in the egg mixture also add salt and pepper. Add a good amount of. olive oil to the hot pan and when its starts to ripple you’re good to go. Dredge your cutlet into the flour first then into the egg, don’t over crowd the pan do it in stages if you have to, I did 3 at a time. Quick fry on each side about 3 minutes, then set aside.Chicken should be tender and golden crispy. No need to clean your pan, now add the lemon slices and lightly brown on each side then remove and place with the chicken. Now add a good knob of butter and more olive oil and saute your shallot and garlic together. Now deglaze with the white wine and let it reduce to half. Add another knob of butter and stir in around 3 tablespoons of flour to make a roux. Now add the stock, lemon, juice and zest, then keep stirring till it thickens up a bit. Now it’s time to put the chicken and sliced lemons into the lemony sauce, I actually got a bigger pan and just poured all of the sauce on top. Let it all simmer together for a little bit making sure chicken is cooked through. Have your pasta cooked, make sure to scoop some of that sauce into the cooked pasta, it’s time to eat! Garnish with chopped parsley, a little drizzle of olive oil This dish is best eaten right away, I wouldn’t make it ahead. Enjoy
“Lysol contains denatured ethanol, which is poisonous to humans. High concentrations of Lysol can also cause lung irritation.”
Since the Pandemic, People Have Stocked Up on Cleaning Solvents and Disinfectants.Does the Public Know What Is In These Products?
Dateline/Creve Coeur, MO. USA/June 11th, 2022/Written by: Jeffrey L. Klump
When the pandemic began in 2020, people were grabbing disinfectant spray, wipes, and other cleaning solvents like it was going out of style.
Some of this had to do with supply chain disruptions, but most of it was because people were freaking out about keeping germs out of their homes.
The problem with this of course is, that few actually read labels on consumer products, especially disinfectants and supplements they buy from Walmart, Costco, or Amazon.
Most of the above mention big-ticket stores mentioned above get their cleaning products and supplements from China.
China is one of the worst countries with consumer protections in place.
That shouldn’t be surprising since most of what China makes is from slave labor.
In today’s world, it pays to be a label reader for consumer products like disinfectants and of course, what you put in your mouth.
A look at one of the most commonly used disinfectants in America is quite revealing.
I am speaking of the product Lysol.
Here are just a few of the chemicals in your average Lysol product:
MEA-Borate –
MEA-Borate is an ester of Ethanolamine (q.v.) and Boric Acid (q.v.).
Boric acid and its sodium borate salts are pesticides that we can find in nature and many products. Borax is one of the most common products. Boric acid and its sodium salts each combine boron with other elements in a different way. In general, their toxicities depend on the amount of boron they contain.
Boric acid and its sodium salts can be used to control a wide variety of pests. These include insects, spiders, mites, algae, molds, fungi, and weeds. Products that contain boric acid have been registered for use in the United States since 1948.
Warning
Overexposure to borax can cause the following symptoms:
Headache
Weakness
Lightheadedness
Dizziness
Tremors
Passing out
Ethanolamine has several important industrial uses: as a “scrubber” to remove carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other acidic pollutants from waste gas streams; as a starting material for manufacturing surfactants, chelating agents, and even pharmaceuticals; as an agent for softening leather; and as an additive for controlling pH in industrial water streams.
N-Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Saccharinate, trade name Onyxide® 3300, is a quaternary amine biocide that helps disinfect and/or sanitize hard surfaces, particularly in aerosols.
Ethanol –
Ethanol is an important industrial chemical; it is used as a solvent, in the synthesis of other organic chemicals, and as an additive to automotive gasoline (forming a mixture known as gasohol). Ethanol is also the intoxicating ingredient of many alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits.
MIPA – Borate –
is a reaction product of Isopropanolamine (q.v.) and Boric Acid
What is Isopropanolamine used for?
Isopropanolamines are used in a wide array of applications, including cement and concrete processing aids, gas purification, surfactants (primarily for home and personal care products), cosmetic formulations, corrosion inhibitors, metalworking fluids, and as emulsifiers, dispersants, and wetting agents.
It is a solution of ammonia in water. Ammonium hydroxide is used as a cleaning agent and sanitizer in many household and industrial cleaners. Ammonium hydroxide is also used in the manufacture of products such as fertilizer, plastic, rayon, and rubber.
Health Risks for Humans
Direct contact with Lysol can cause eye irritation, therefore, shield your eyes when using Lysol cleaning products. Measures should also be taken to avoid making any contact with skin, food, or clothing. After using Lysol products you should wash your hands immediately with antibacterial soap and warm water to prevent skin irritation. If you get Lysol in your eyes, remove contacts, in applicable situations, and flush your eyes out extensively for at least 15 minutes with water. If the irritation does not subside, seek medical care immediately. If Lysol products are swallowed or consumed internally, call poison control and your doctor immediately. Lysol contains denatured ethanol, which is poisonous to humans. High concentrations of Lysol can also cause lung irritation.
There are several other brands that use non-toxic and environmentally safe ingredients in their cleaning products.
One brand of disinfectant is one that I have been using for more than 3 years, and that is Sol U Guard from a U.S. manufacturer called Melaleuca.
The 2 main ingredients in Solu U Guard are Thymol, also known as essential thyme oil, and Citric Acid.
The EPA has certified Sol U Guard as a disinfectant that will kill Covid and other viruses.
Take a closer look at the 2 main ingredients in Sol U Guard.
Thyme Oil Uses
Thyme is a widely used herb in cooking, because of its minty flavor. However, the thyme essence is not dominating and so doesn’t overpower the other flavors of a dish. Thus, thyme lends the dish a warm and aromatic flavor, without making it overbearing. But there are more to the uses of thyme than simply as a flavoring agent. The thyme oil extracted from the herb has excellent medicinal properties. Before the discovery of antibiotics, this oil was used to disinfect and clean wounds. It is rich in antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties. This makes thyme oil a potent remedy for treating any infections and inflammations, as the main component of thyme oil is the antiseptic thymol. As such, thyme oil is an active ingredient in many creams, mouthwash, and hand sanitizers. Thyme oil also contains a significant amount of calcium, manganese, iron, and vitamin K.
Citric Acid
What are the benefits of citric acid?
Benefits of Citric Acid
Preserve food. It is used to keep food fresh for longer periods. …
Preserve personal care products. It may keep cosmetics and other products fresh for longer.
Have protective effects on the body. Citric acid used in medicine can kill bacteria and lower the acid in urine.
The odorless and colorless compound was produced from lemon juice until the early 1900s when researchers discovered that it could also be made from the black mold Aspergillus niger, which creates citric acid when it feeds on sugar (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
Because of its acidic, sour-tasting nature, citric acid is predominantly used as a flavoring and preserving agent, especially in soft drinks and candies.
It’s also used to stabilize or preserve medicines and as a disinfectant.
SUMMARY
Citric acid is a compound originally derived from lemon juice. It’s produced today from a specific type of mold and used in a variety of applications.
Is citric acid an effective disinfectant?
Citric acid kills bacteria, mold, and mildew. It’s great for general disinfecting and cleaning. Note that it shouldn’t be used as a disinfectant against diseases like Covid-19.
Since citric acid kills some types of bacteria and viruses, you’ll find it in insect sprays, products that kill fungus or algae, hand sanitizer, and even some tissues you use to blow your nose. Environmental cleanup products. Citric acid can safely remove toxins from polluted soil and even clean up nuclear waste.
No matter what you use as a disinfectant cleaner, make sure that the one you use is not doing you more harm than good especially if it’s to save a couple of bucks in favor of a toxic disinfectant.
Here is a quote from the co-founder of Thrive Market:
“Growing up in the Midwest in the ‘90s, I saw how hard my mom worked to put healthy food on our table despite limited knowledge, a limited budget, and limited healthy options in our hometown. She did an amazing job, but it was hard—and she was mostly on her own…Thirty years later, so much has changed. Today, millions of moms, dads, grandparents, and young people are all aspiring to live healthier and more sustainable lives. My mom is no longer on her own!And yet one thing hasn’t changed: finding convenient, trusted, and affordable ways to shop healthier is still hard.At Thrive Market, we’re on a mission to change that.”—Nick Green, Father of Two + Thrive Market Co-Founder & CEO
Thrive Market is benefiting from four converging trends that shifted into overdrive by the pandemic: healthy eating, online grocery, subscriptions, and personalized shopping.
It’s propelled an already rapidly-growing company, tracking at 40% year-over-year growth before the pandemic, to nearly double its business since, with sales up 90% year-over-year.
With its membership rapidly approaching one million, Thrive Market solves many of the problems inherent in traditional grocery shopping and online as well. Because the typical grocery store carries between 30,000 to 50,000 products, grocery shoppers suffer from a confusing abundance of choices.
Thrive Market makes selection simple, offering about 6,000 carefully curated items that represent the best brands that are better for people and better for the planet.
Initially focused on non-perishable products in the center aisles of a grocery store, it now offers wine, meat, seafood, and ready-made meals, along with a growing list of pet, beauty, and home products. The only thing missing is dairy and fresh fruits and vegetables, which present logistical challenges the company is working to overcome.
“We are about six years old now, and we have always been a fast-growing business,” says Sasha Siddhartha, the company’s co-founder and chief technology officer. “Since we launched, keeping up the growth and scale has been a consistent focus for us. But then starting in late February/early March, that growth accelerated dramatically, and we continue to hold that accelerated pace. It turns out Thrive Market is a sticky concept.”
“Our approach has always been curated, so you don’t have to worry about which brand is better for you or spend time studying the labels. Our merchandising team has already done the work for you to pre-select and curate based on the highest standards in the industry,” Siddhartha says. “Instead of finding 40 products to choose from, we offer the best two or three, taking the guesswork out.”
Since Covid hit, people have prioritized health and wellness in grocery shopping. Thrive Market sits in that sweet spot. Even before the pandemic, natural and organic had been the fastest-growing sector in the grocery industry, he shares. It is a trend that is sure to continue as the immediate health threat abates.
Online grocery shopping is a great convenience, saving time, which is the ultimate luxury. But consumer habits are hard to break and going to the grocery store has long been a staple of the American’s lifestyle. That changed overnight due to the pandemic.
Why give your money to a company that is not only infringing on your Constitutional rights, but those of their employees?
Thrive Market is the way of the future.
They provide high-quality products at very reasonable prices.
Expect to see other online grocery stores adopt a similar model of Thrive Market.
Summer grilling is here and life is opening up again, it’s time for gathering together with friends and family, having backyard BBQ’s and enjoying special occasions which we all missed so much!
Memorial Day is just around the corner and so is Father’s Day and if you’re planning on doing any cookouts, I hope you add this intensely flavored mustard, garlic herb paste to just about whatever you’re planning on grilling.
Fresh herbs are the key to this delicious herb paste which can be made in a jiffy using a food processor and don’t be afraid to double or triple this recipe, I promise it will amp up your grilling game!
I used a mix of basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Each herb carries its own intense flavor which pairs nicely with grilled foods but feel free to create your own combo that you might prefer.
Brush it all over veggies, chicken, beef, pork, and even fish, the more the better!
I’ve been using this herb paste since way back, here’s a post I did nine years ago, time sure does fly!
Snip off some herbs and make this mustard, garlic, herb paste the next time you turn on the grill, enjoy!
Mustard Garlic Herb Paste – SFor Summer Grilling
Print Consider double or tripling this recipe, it’s that good! Author: Marie
Ingredients:
2 cups of herbs like parsley, basil, thyme, and rosemary, but feel free to use your favorite combination
3 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
zest and juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a food processor add the herbs and garlic and process, then add zest and lemon juice and finish with the olive oil to the consistency of a loose paste, easy to spread.
Make sure to let it sit on your protein or veggie of choice for at least an hour before grilling.
Mark Morphew Originally Published March 23, 2021, 8 min read bean Ground is completely reader-supported. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more
As great as plain black coffee is sometimes our taste buds need a break from the norm, admit it having the same thing day in day out tends to get boring. An excellent way to spice up your favorite coffee beverage is by adding some extra flavor. Forget about those store brought sweeteners and creamers that are often packed full of garbage, what I’m talking about are natural flavorings.
Some of these flavored coffee combinations are strange, and others not so obvious, but trust me they will bring life back into your boring cup of Joe and you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of them before.
Below I have experimented with various ways to add extra flavor to your coffee, and I think these 12 are the best so far that will tickle ya taste buds and leave you coming back for more!
I have no doubt that after going through this list, you will be heading home in a flash to give at least one or two of these coffee combinations a try.
1. Cinnamon
Adding cinnamon to coffee isn’t anything new, but it’s one that’s stood the test of time and is a favorite with many coffee drinkers. But before you read on I have a twist on the already popular combination.
Instead of sprinkling cinnamon on top of your coffee or even stirring it into your brew, you’ll want to infuse the cinnamon with your coffee beans if you want to give your coffee a real cinnamon kick.
It’s not as hard as it sounds, simply grind whole sticks of cinnamon along with your whole coffee beans. If you don’t grind your beans fresh before each brew (why not?) you can instead sprinkle some cinnamon into your pre-ground coffee before you add water.
Adding the cinnamon to the start of the coffee brewing process will allow for a fully blended coffee that actually tastes like cinnamon and not just smell like it.💡 Fun Fact: Did you know that you can easily add flavor to your coffee by using a French Press. Simply immerse your Cinnamon, Vanilla, Ginger, or anything else inside of your French Press along with your freshly brewed coffee. Allow it to sit for a while for the magic to happen, the infused flavors will transform your coffee into something else! Looking for a French Press? These are the best French Press coffee makers we could find.
Cocoa Nibs.. say what? Isn’t that just chocolate? Not really. Cocoa Nibs are what chocolate is before it’s processed into the shaped bars we all know and love. These chunks are more black in color than brown and are 100% cocoa beans. The texture is also different, and the taste is far nuttier and slightly chewier plus they deliver a dark rich taste.
It’s this flavor profile that makes Cocoa Nibs the perfect addition to your coffee. Trust me they taste great! Add about ½ a teaspoon of Cocoa Nibs to every two cups of coffee that goes into your coffee grinder, grind together, and brew your coffee as normal.
If you love dark chocolate and black coffee this flavored coffee is going to bring you to your knees! YUM!
3. Vanilla
If you love adding flavored creamers and sugar to your coffee but aren’t happy about the added calories you’re loading into your cup, try some vanilla.
The best way to take advantage of this natural coffee flavoring is to add a vanilla bean to your whole coffee beans just before you grind. If you can’t get your hands on fresh vanilla, you can use a few drops of extract directly into your cup of coffee or into your portafilter on your espresso machine before you pull a shot. Remember, though, a little goes a long way, any more than two drops and you’ll be pouring your brew down the drain.
4. Ginger
I’m not a fan of this coffee flavor, but for those of you that enjoy ginger tea, this coffee combination might be a winner!
Ginger can be overpowering if used in large quantities, so I recommend that you only add a few small slices to your grounds before you brew. The hot water will pass over the ginger and will infuse with your coffee. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can supplement by using one or two tablespoons of ginger powder instead, but fresh is definitely better!
5. Cardamom
Cardamom is relatively unheard of in the west but is hugely popular in the Middle East. The taste of cardamom is very similar to ginger and comes packed with numerous health benefits. Fiber and other essential minerals are just some of the hidden gems of cardamom as well as aiding in circulation it goes great with coffee.
Either add whole cardamom seeds to your whole coffee beans before you grind or sprinkle a couple of pinches of pre-ground cardamom seeds to your freshly brewed cup of coffee.
6. Star Anise
This coffee flavor isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but it will definitely get you a few strange looks. Star Anise is known for a strong licorice taste with sweet, floral notes. For those of you that enjoy licorice, it makes a great coffee infusion when paired with dark roasted coffee.
Add your Star Anise into your whole coffee beans before grinding and brew as you normally would. However, if overused it can be very overpowering, I recommend using no more than 3/4 of a clove, or you’ll be pouring your freshly brewed coffee into the sink.
7. Nutmeg
If you want to bring out the earthiness in your morning coffee brew, I recommend trying a bit of Nutmeg. The added sweetness and earthy taste are truly unique and are a sure way to tickle ya taste buds.
The amount of Nutmeg to add to your cup of coffee is down to personal taste; however, I find that one shard is perfect for a typical cup. With that said experiment until you find the best infusion for your liking.
I only thought that lavender was something found in body soaps, that was before I tried lavender ice cream as a child, yum!
Lavender is the perfect companion for many things, and coffee is no exception; I have found that it marriages best with the fruitier roasted coffees. You can either add a few sprinkles of lavender in with your ground coffee and infuse when you pour your hot water or add a few tiny drops of lavender oil to your brewed coffee. is brewed. Either way, this combination tastes great, especially on a lazy spring afternoon.
9. Clove
If you smoke cigarettes or have done in the past, this Clover-flavored coffee is going to be a winner! Many popular cigarette brands add clove into their tobacco mix to give an added sweetness.
When it comes to cloves and coffee use sparingly, because this spice can be very overpowering. Either grind with your whole coffee beans before you brew or add a couple of cloves to your pre-ground coffee and infuse when boiling water is poured over your grounds. If the taste is too strong, experiment until you find the best ratio for your taste buds.
10. Peppermint Oil
Nothing screams ‘tis the season more than a steamy cup of peppermint coffee. To successfully infuse your brewed coffee with this delicious holiday flavor it’s best to use pure peppermint oil which works really well with chocolatey dark roasted coffee beans.
To try this flavored coffee add a couple of drops to your coffee during the brewing process, however, use sparingly because peppermint oil in its concentrated form can quickly become overpowering no matter how rich your coffee beans are.
11. A Raw Egg
It might seem crazy, but adding a raw egg to your coffee tastes great! Hot coffee mixed with a raw egg delivers a one-of-a-kind flavor – trust me, you have to try it, at least once, It might not be a taste that everyone enjoys for everyone, but to be honest it’s not as disgusting as you might expect.
The addition of a raw egg gives the coffee a dense and slightly creamy body without masking the natural coffee flavors and aromas.
12. Butter
If you haven’t heard about Bulletproof Coffee (1), you must have been living in a cave. Many coffee lovers and health buffs have come accustomed to this coffee butter combination which has gained popularity in recent years.
This strange combination can be traced back to south-east Asia where strange coffee infusions are commonplace. Even though it’s hard to imagine butter which is normally only used in cooking, going so well with coffee, if done right it really is a marriage made in heaven (I said if done right!).
Just adding a teaspoon of organic butter to a sweet roast coffee will give your coffee a smooth, rich texture with a buttery depth that is truly unique.
Mark is the Editor-in-Chief at the popular coffee blog – Bean Ground. He’s been active in the catering and hospitality industry for over 20 years. When he’s not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you’ll find him busy working on his other passion, web development. You can discover more about Mark here.
Romeo Salta was a renowned restauranteur back in the 1950s through the 1980s. His swank namesake Manhattan restaurant attracted luminaries from the worlds of business, politics, and entertainment.
My father, who was quite the buongustaio back in the day, used to take our family there from time to time when I was a kid. It was a thrill to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. But Romeo Salta was also my first introduction to Italian food other than Angelina’s Neapolitan cookery. Salta served what was at the time called “Northern Italian” food. That was the rather ludicrous catch-all phrase used at the time for any regional Italian cuisine besides the ones from Naples and points south brought to America by the mass immigration of the early 20th century. These cuisines from central and northern Italy were new and different and became very fashionable. So-called northern Italian food was considered “lighter”, and certainly more “sophisticated”, than the southern Italian cookery Americans were familiar with, although that wasn’t really the case.
In 1962, Romeo Salta wrote a cookbook for anyone who wanted to try recreating the dishes he served up at his restaurant. The book, called The Pleasures of Italian Cooking, didn’t have much of an impact on the way Americans actually cooked. For that, we would have to wait another 11 years, for Marcella Hazan’s landmark Classic Italian Cookbook, published in 1973. Still, Salta’s cookbook is a piece of culinary history, the first cookbook published in America to present “real” Italian cookery. (The first such book in the English language had probably been Elizabeth David’s Italian Food, published in the UK about eight years before Salta’s book.)
I did find one recipe that appears to be Romeo’s own creation. Dubbed Insalata di Pasqua or Easter Salad, it’s lightly blanched green peas, garnished with ham, anchovies, and olives, and dressed with a citronette enriched with hard-boiled egg yolk. It sounded intriguing and certainly seasonal, so I gave it a go, playing with the recipe a bit to suit my own tastes.
I was well pleased with the results. Other than a Russian Salad, I’d never tried using green peas in a salad, and never with a simple oil-based dressing. It worked beautifully. The fresh taste of the peas was complemented by the savory ham and other garnishes. The salad was filling yet light. And it was rather pretty to look at, too. All in all, a fitting antipasto to begin Easter dinner.
So if you feel like a little bit of nostalgia this Easter, why not give Romeo Salta’s Easter Salad a try?
1 lb (500 grams) frozen peas, blanched, drained, and cooled
1/4 lb (150 grams) cooked ham, cut into cubes
One head of Boston lettuce
For the garnish:
A few anchovy fillets
Olives, green and black
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges (optional)
For the dressing:
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
The juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper
Directions
Blanch the peas in boiling water. Just let the water come back to the boil and let it simmer for perhaps a minute, then drain in a large colander. Rinse the peas in cold water to stop the cooking, then let them drain until they are perfectly dry.
Line a salad bowl with the Boston lettuce leaves, using as many as you need to line your bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, mix the drained peas and cubed ham together, then pile the mixture on top of the salad leaves.
Arrange the anchovy fillets, olives and, if using, wedges of hard-boiled egg on top of the peas and ham.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients until they are perfectly emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasoning, then pour over the salad.
Serve immediately.
Notes on Romeo Salta’s Easter Salad
Truth be told, as fascinating as it is as a piece of culinary history, The Pleasures of Italian Cooking is not always a pleasure to cook from. Salta’s instructions are fairly telegraphic, typical of many Italian cookbooks. But more to the point, a good number of his recipes, such as the one for peperoni alla piemontese, simply do not work. (Yes, I tried.) In others, the measurements seem off, such as his recipe for sedani alla parmigiana, which calls for braising three bunches of celery in a half-cup of stock. I wonder if he tested—or even proofread—his recipes?
This Easter Salad recipe also needed some interpretation. Here are his verbatim instructions:
Put peas on the bottom of a salad bowl. Arrange the anchovies and ham over them, then lettuce wedges around the edge of the bowl. Beat together the oil, [hard boiled] egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over ingredients in the bowl. Garnish with olives.
Good luck with that! If you followed these cryptic instructions to the letter you would wind up with something rather odd. So as you can see, I played around. For one thing, I used the lettuce as a bed rather than an edging. Salta doesn’t specify the type of lettuce, but given the period and his instruction to cut it into wedges, I’m guessing iceberg. I used whole leaves of Boston lettuce instead.
And then I mixed the ham, cut into cubes with the peas rather than laying slices of it on top. Rather than using a whole can of anchovies as Salta calls for, I used enough to make a cross on top, symbolic of Easter. And rather than adding hard-boiled egg yolks to the dressing, which struck me as probably unsightly, I used whole hard-boiled eggs—also an Easter tradition—cut into wedges, as part of the garnish.
On Romeo Salta and his restaurant
Romeo Salta himself was born a southerner, in Puglia in 1904. After his father died when he was six, Salta was raised in a state-run orphanage in Florence. He had no formal culinary training, learning his trade working as a kitchen boy on several Italian cruise lines. Arriving penniless in New York in 1924, he made his living for a few years doing menial work at various hotels around town. After a stint in the midwest, he moved to Los Angeles in 1933, founding a restaurant called Chianti in 1938. After a low start, Ed Sullivan stopped for dinner one night and wrote about it in his newspaper column. Chianti soon began to attract celebrities like Lucille Ball and Errol Flynn. Salta’s career finally took off.
Returning to New York in 1951, Salta opened a place called Mercurio with a partner, then branched out on his own in 1953 with his storied namesake restaurant on West 56th Street. At a time when Italian restaurants were synonymous with red-checkered tablecloths with candles stuck in straw-covered Chianti bottles, his elegant ambiance and offerings of Italian food as it was and is cooked in its native land were a revelation.
You can read more about Romeo Salta in his 1998 New York Times obituary.
A funny story…
A great part of the fun going to Romeo Salta was the chance to catch a glimpse of its rich and famous patrons. I remember, for instance, we once sat next to an elderly James Farley, who had been FDR’s campaign director, Postmaster General, and later head of Coca-Cola International. Since the tables were close together, he and Dad struck up a conversation, and we got to hear a few of his fascinating reminiscences.
But the most memorable moment from our visits to Romeo Salta was seeing Raymond Burr. He was an actor best known for playing Perry Mason in the eponymous 1960s TV series and later “Ironside”, a wheelchair-bound detective for the San Francisco police force, in the 1970s. We happened to be seated near the entrance to the restaurant. From our table, we could see the patrons coming in and out. Well, in saunters Mr. Burr. One of my sisters, who was a big fan of Ironside at the time, blurts out—well within earshot mind you—” Look, it’s Ironsides! It’s Ironsides!” We all squirmed in embarrassment, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. As soon as he was out of sight, I turned and replied: “Yeah, and it must be a miracle, ’cause he’s walking!”
1 lb 500g frozen peas blanched, drained, and cooled
1/4 lb 150 g cooked ham cut into cubes
1 head Boston lettuce
For the garnish:
A few anchovy fillets
Olives green and/or black
2 hard-boiled eggs cut into wedges (optional)
For the dressing:
1/2 cup 125 ml olive oil
1 lemon juiced
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Blanch the peas in boiling water. Just let the water come back to the boil and let it simmer for perhaps a minute, then drain in a large colander. Rinse the peas in cold water to stop the cooking, then let them drain until they are perfectly dry.
Line a salad bowl with the Boston lettuce leaves, using as much as you need to line your bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, mix the drained peas and cubed ham together, then pile the mixture on top of the salad leaves.
Arrange the anchovy fillets, olives and, if using, wedges of hard-boiled egg on top of the peas and ham.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients until they are perfectly emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasoning, then pour over the salad.
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