Happy YASSSletter Thursday Gingis!

We are getting ready to head home to NYC for the month of August starting this weekend. We are sad to leave Israel as always, but we’ll be back very very soon! Although August in New York is pretty brutal with the scorching heat and overwhelming smell of sidewalk’s past - we are capital EXCITED to get back to the Farmer’s Market, to our WIDE array of vinegars, and to our kitchen(s) to bring you all some new & exciting recipes this upcoming fall!

But this week, in tribute to our long journey home to the US of A, where summer salads run rampid - we’ve built you the ultimate “American” Salad guide. Now what is an “American” salad you may ask? When Ben and I were living in Italy, I used to make these salads that were loaded with nuts, cheese, seasonal veg, and lots of leaves - dressed in a vinaigrette! This was a shock to Ben. He grew up on variations of cucumber tomato salads as the household staple. As time went on, Ben grew to love the eclectic nature of my salads, and even began to request them. Now, this “American” salad is a staple item on our household menu several times a week, in different variations.

It is DELICIOUS, satisfying, exciting, and welcomes any ingredient you may have in your pantry. Just follow these rules!

So on the agenda today:

1. How to make the “Perfect American”: Key Components

2. How to Dress your crazy “Perfect American Salad”

3. POLL: What is your favorite way to season a salad?

How to make the “Perfect American” Salad: Key Components!

The idea here is that we Americans love combine leaves, vegetables, nuts, cheese, and proteins into a bowl with a dressing and toss it for a quick and healthy lunch (ie the American obsession with … Sweetgreen, Chopt, Tender Greens). The truth is…many people don’t make these salads well (hence delivery app success) while others make them INCREDIBLY! And what I have come to realize, is that there is a deep magic to the KITCHEN sink salad and it should be learned so that you too can make an awesome salad at any time of the day! These 8 components can ALL be used in the making of your salad or you can pick and pair 3-4 and go from there.

1. Your Base (Optional): This base is what will carry your salad. Romaine? Arugula? Quinoa & Mustard Greens? It can be a simple leaf choice, a funky leaf you find at the farmer’s market, or a leaf paired with your grain of choice.

2. Something Crunchy: - It is most likely that your leaves will wilt faster than you want in your salad (lets just be honest), so you always wanna have a crunchy and fresh palate back up - sliced celery or cucumber work perfectly - also radishes. These crunchy critters add texture and refresh.

3. Nuts - Keep them raw and toast them right before you add them to the salad. I love pumpkin seeds. They toast & cool SO quickly so they are perfect seed to add if you are in a hurry add they add the perfect amount of crunch. The oil that is released from toasting the nuts on spot, gives another layer of flavor to the salad and somehow perfectly blends the different notes of the salad together. Don’t skip the toasted step.

4. Cheese- Always keep you favorite cheese on hand to add to your salad to make it super satisfying. Something about a bite into this creamy tangy substance makes the salad feel royal! I would argue that the top favorites are the ones you can crumble - feta or blue cheese. Or grate: Parm or Pecorino!

5. Protein - Secret. ingredient to keep you full for the rest of the day. Add some protein. Best way to keep yourself accountable to this? Have a cooked piece of chicken or salmon on hand all the time, great option is also add the canned tuna. Also great way to use your dinner left overs.

6. Something Fermented or Pickled - There is nothing like adding sauerkraut to a salad - its crunchy, cold, and salty. Perfect. If not add a few pieces of your favorite pickled veggie mix chopped up. This fermented stuff not only insures yumminess, it also gives you that salty bite you are always looking for in a salad. A guiltless refreshing salty bite - like a having a pickle with your tuna melt!

7. Something Sweet - Referring to a piece of diced seasonal fruit, halved grapes, or a handful of chopped dried figs.

How to dress your crazy “Perfect American Salad”

I learned this one recently. Different vinegars actually do have different tastes. Same for oils - especially toasted oils like toasted sunflower oil, toasted walnut oil, or toasted sesame oil! Although a dressing made up of lemon juice and Extra Virgin Olive Oil is always the BEST, especially in our house hold, I have recently, understood the art of vinegar. My all time favorite? Must be sherry vinegar.

Now…you can make a dressing. Sure. Or you can just add a little sherry vinegar, a little Yuzu vinegar, a lot of really really high end extra virgin olive oil, and finish with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. My point? Experiment with your palate. Just start with the very best ingredients - and you won’t need much of anything.

Today’s salad you ask? Grapes, pomegranate seeds, apples, dried figs, celery, and toasted almonds on a romaine base with a dijon maple syrup sherry vinegar, extra virgin olive oil dressing!

Hope you have a weekend full of YASSS! Until next Thursday Gingis.

Love, Ben & Zikki xx

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