Feting and Salads

Greek salad

This summer when it was excruciatingly hot, I was really into salads. I can't recall which recipe I used for the Greek salad, but here's one from Epicurious if you're interested in concocting it.

Salade Nicoise

Again, I can't remember which recipe I used for my somewhat modified salade Nicoise, but here's a basic recipe from Melissa d'Arabian of the Food Network.

Richard III

Last Sunday, we went to see Richard III at American Players' Theater in Spring Green. It was very warm, but once I reached a sweaty threshold, I just dealt with it. Besides, we had a wonderful performance to distract us. I'd never seen that play before, and I was very impressed. It's such an intense story, and I want to learn more about the historical figure of Richard III (versus the highly fictionalized account concocted by Shakespeare). Next on my watch list is the 1995 adaptation starring Ian McKellen, which takes place in 1930s Britain.

And of course the food: We had a lovely picnic with soppresata; prosciutto; cold lentil salad (recipe from A Sweet Pea Chef below); broccolini, mushroom, and mozzarella salad (recipe also below and was recommended by Mr. Beau); multigrain baguette;

For the Love of Tuna

Ah. I just finished a very refreshing shower, and now I'm drinking ginger ale and walking around in my Wonder Woman underoos.

Tonight for dinner, I grilled tuna steaks and topped them with leftover pesto butter.

On the side, I had a few crostini topped with olive tapenade (well, in a previous incarnation, it was an olive and basil vinaigrette for an arugula and cannellini salad, but it was close enough to a tapenade to work).

For the picnic preceding Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit at APT last week (7/23), I prepared this:

Arugula and Cannellini Salad with Olive Vinaigrette  
(from Whole Living)

vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup pitted oil-cured olives, such as Nicoise (about 36)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salad

• One 15 1/2-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups pear, grape, or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch arugula (about 6 ounces), trimmed and washed

Make vinaigrette: Combine olives and the water in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until olives are finely chopped. Add garlic, basil, vinegar, and cumin; process until mixture is smooth and combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

In a medium bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, and red onion, and gently toss. Pour vinaigrette over bean mixture, and toss to coat. To serve, divide arugula leaves among four plates, and mound bean mixture on top.

World's tiniest pic--hooray for iPhone cameras--of us at APT for Blithe Spirit

On July 9, J. and I went to The Taming of the Shrew at APT. I must admit that the female obedience theme was rather tiring by the end. While it's not one of Shakey's full-on problem plays, it was controversial, according to some critics, for its celebration of female subjugation and misogyny even when first published. The Wikipedia article about it has all kinds of interesting info., so I won't regurgitate it.

At APT for The Taming of the Shrew

Happy Cinco de Mayo + The Green Owl Cafe

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! I did nothing to celebrate. Not a damn thing. But I don't think I've ever celebrated Cinco de Mayo. Maybe next year.

Last Saturday was the state event for history day, so I spent a chunk of my day asking kidbots about their historical research process and such. It was a good day, but I was tuckered out by the end of it.

The night before, L. and I went to dinner at The Green Owl Cafe, which is a funky, newish vegetarian restaurant at Schenk's Corners. I had the barbequed jackfruit* sandwich with kale crisps, and L. had the Middle Eastern platter with hummus, muhammara, and baba ganoush served with toasted pita wedges, olives, and pickled vegetables. The jackfruit sandwich is their take on a pulled pork sandwich and was surprisingly successful. I must admit that I was a little skeptical about jackfruit. I'd never had it before, and the notion of a fruit even approaching the texture and taste of pork seemed doubtful. I mean, it didn't taste like pork, but it was a satisfying substitute, and the vegan slaw on top of the sandwich was a delicious contrast. Oh, and the kale crisps rocked, too. L. was also pleased with her platter. After dinner, we shared a slice of spectacular lemon-poppyseed cake. I'm a lemon-poppyseed fan to begin with, but this defied expectations. The cake itself had the consistency of a delicious pound cake, and the glaze was citrusy and rich. We were both quietly moaning at our table, and the cake vanished way too rapidly.

Afterward, we saw Broom Street Theater's production of Multiple O: Women on Top, for which I wrote a review for the Isthmus (http://bit.ly/dpO5io).

*I was curious about jackfruit, so I looked it up. Here are a few highlights:
     -species of tree in the mulberry family
     -national fruit of Bangladesh
     -native to southern and southeast Asia
    -its fruit is largest tree-borne fruit in world
    -fruit can reach up to 80 lbs. in weight