Salad Bar Meals
| May 20, 2010 | Posted by Issa under Simple-Eco-Happy |
Years and years ago when I worked at Pizza Hut, I fell in love with eating off the salad bar. This probably sounds like a really strange thing to write about, but you’ll find a lot of my strange little thoughts here, and this is one of them! I loved how you could get a gazillion little things on your plate in little bite size pieces, all super-yummy fruits and veggies. When I worked really long shifts and couldn’t stop for a meal, I could just graze all day swiping things off the salad bar.
Right after moving in at The Wallow, I tried to create my own little salad bar. I’d set little tins out in the morning on ice, full of fruits and veggies and cheese and other items. I hoped to enjoy happily grazing from it as I toodled around house. Unfortunately, a tiny little salad bar on your counter is a sad, sad thing compared to the bounty in a restaurant. I couldn’t really keep them cool enough to stay really fresh, and there were limited items. I gave up on the idea.
Even in the absence of a salad bar and grazing, though, I can still make a meal out of little bits of yummy variety. Of all the meals in the world, I feel the most decadent and joyful when I’m eating from a plate of juicy fruits and veggies and little bits of meat and cheese. It feels like a tiny little Roman orgy on a plate, as if there should be someone nearby fanning me with a palm leaf.
I recently sat down to a little meal like this, which also makes perfect summer fare, and I just had to take a picture of the pretty plateful. I had watermelon cubes, green grapes, cherry tomatoes, little slices of ham, and slices of colby-jack cheese. The only way it could have been better would be if any of these items came from our garden. Soon I hope to have some of that to add to my feasts as well!
What’s your favorite kind of meal?
There are many things I don’t like about the south (not that these are exclusive, however): extreme conservatism, bible belt laws, the stereotype that comes with the accent. However, southern cooking alone is enough to make up for all of this. Having been raised here with a mother that loves to cook, I have become quite the connoisseur for fried, greasy, and delicious southern cooking. Mashed potatoes, fried okra, country fried stake, pork chops, baked beans, green beans, corn-on-the-cob, barbecue, brunswick stew, fried chicken, catfish nuggets, boiled peanuts, etc.
Also, pizza. I effing love pizza, particularly extra cheesy and a little crispy.
I’m gonna have to take lunch early today… all this talk of delicious food is makin’ me hungry. :P
Ooh, I love Southern food, too. Just yesterday, I was googling for what all I could put bacon grease in, since I save drippings. I hate most greens, but if I Southernify them enough, I’m thinking maybe I could come to like them. Also, mmm catfish. I don’t get really well done catfish often enough.
I am with you on the little bit meal grazing. Especially fruits and veggies in the summer. It is difficult to do at work, but I find the more sweet, juicy fruits are available, the more I do this. Cheese with this just feels decadent.
I also like to do this with salty crunchy foods too.
Tidbit grazing aside, my absolute favorite meal this time of year is corn on the cob, fresh tomato slices, cantaloupe, and a dollop of cottage cheese. I could eat it for every meal if given the opportunity.
Mmm corn on the cob! :-)
I really love having bite sized pieces of food also. Once in awhile, the fam has a raw food dinner, where I put out ranch dip, and bite sized pieces or strips of bell peppers, sugar snap peas, carrots, broccoli, grapes, cherry tomatoes, and generally what ever else looks good. This is one my kids favorite meals, mine as well. It really does feel so luxurious.