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May 11, 2007
Cold Cruciferous Salad
My partner MR is from a very cool, very dry place. The ideal place to store wine: Calgary, Alberta. He does not much care for the heat and humidity that we have here in Philadelphia.
I am from North Carolina. I love heat and humidity. Two mornings ago I woke up, came downstairs, and said, "Oh, isn't the weather lovely?"
He said, "Are you completely insane?"
He despises humidity. He feels like he is in the shower all the time.
Last night I came out of a meeting with nurses, getting ready for contract negotiations, at about 10 pm and said, "I love this weather!" I simply adore going outside and feeling all nestled in a cushion of heat and humidity.
I am so very American.
But my love does not care for this weather, so on this warm afternoon I decided to make for him a cool dinner: Cold Cruciferous Salad.
Warning: do not make this salad if you don't care for raw vegetables!
I chopped up a huge layer of raw cauliflower, and topped it with an only slightly smaller layer of raw broccoli. Coating of garlic powder, basil and oregano. Then I added a layer of eggwhites for protein, though I think that steamed shrimp or scallops sauteed in white wine and balsalmic vinegar would also be excellent.
Then I topped with 1 cup Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes, plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. 1 teaspoon flax oil, 1 teaspoon olive oil. Some hazelnuts on the side for added fat.
MR loved it... took him forever to eat, but he thought it was delicious. Perfect cold food for a warm evening!
Posted by april at May 11, 2007 8:46 PM
Comments
Last night at 10, I sat on the steps outside my townhouse and enjoyed the balmy weather - just like you. Tell MR it's balmy - like a balm - soothing. I love this weather, too. Like you, I come from a hot and somewhat humid place. I am looking forward to going barefoot and lolling around in the warm evenings on the deck in Austin. Also, even more, having some 70 degree days in January and February.
And your cool salad is a great idea! Salads all the time!
Posted by: Little MR at May 11, 2007 7:56 PM
What's the poor guy gonna do when summer comes and it's 95 in the shade with 99% humidity? Jeez! Remind him of what it's like when it's 32 below zero, would you? MoMR ;-)
Posted by: Judith at May 11, 2007 11:01 PM
I'm finding I enjoy warm weather much more these days. It feels so much nicer than it did when I was 50 pounds heavier. For most of the year, I've been wrapping myself in sweaters and huddling over endless cups of hot tea in an effort to warm up. It's *so* nice not to have to do that - to just walk around in light clothes and feel WARM!
You could always tell MR to just go naked. That's what my kids do when they're really hot. Of course, I guess that could be a bit distracting for you...
Posted by: Robin at May 12, 2007 5:40 AM
Wow Robin. I think you just made this blog a lot hotter!
Posted by: carolyn at May 12, 2007 9:18 AM
Hey, I'm all for 'Naked Days'! We used to do it a lot before we had the kids. It came in handy during the summer... it gets very hot and humid here in Winnipeg!
I agree with Robin that summers are now SO much more comfortable thanks to CR. Cozy, not sweltering.
nen
Posted by: Nenette at May 12, 2007 10:28 AM
Now I am craving a shrimp salad. gee, thanks.
Posted by: Jake Silver at May 12, 2007 11:12 AM
Being a couple hundred miles south east of you all..we're stuck in the humidity most of the spring and summer. This year has been the exception up until today! It's 84 and humid today and I'll have to say..feels great. I can't stand it either when it really gets humid..the heat? I LOVE it!
Nice salad fixins! It's good to read you write about fixing food again..it means some semblance of normal has crept back into your life..Enjoy it while you can!!
D
Posted by: Deborah at May 12, 2007 1:22 PM
Yes, the heat! That's why I moved to Florida - I adore it! Of course, I don't notice humidity. I guess that's a sign I like it. I truly can't tell the difference in dry heat and moist heat. I admit I visited Arizona when I was a kid and I thought it was hotter than hell, but people kept saying, "It's a dry heat!" It just felt hot to me - still, felt good, though!
Posted by: Amy at May 13, 2007 4:32 AM
All:
Thou hast no right but to do thy Will.
MoMR, "what it's like when it's 32 below zero" is: you put on a sweater indoors, and you put on your long underwear and gloves when you go out.
What it's like when it's 32 ABOVE zero (that's 32 Celsius, to those of you still stuck in the 19th century) and 88% humidity is: you bathe in a sticky mess, and you suffer -- or you crank up the A/C in every room in the house, never go outdoors, fuck over the planet, and get weird chills (especially when you go into malls etc).
Or, more likely -- both, alternately, like some kind of sick heat shock therapy.
For no less a treasure than the Daughter of the Mighty Ones to I endure this ongoing ordeal.
Love is the law, love under will.
-Michael
Posted by: MR at May 13, 2007 7:08 AM
O.K., I completely understand your misery when it's 32. That is brutal! However, the online weather reports I checked said it had reached only 72F (22C)as the high that day, so it can't have been even that warm when CRONKitty got up. Oh, BTW, when it's -32, it's long underwear/tights, wool pants, t-shirt, shirt, sweater or wool suit jacket, ankle-length down-filled coat with hood, sox, lined boots, scarf, gloves and mittens. JD ;-))
Posted by: Judith at May 13, 2007 9:20 AM
I'd like it to be in the mid 20's, thats nice. When I go into supermarkets here though its very much like stepping into a freezer :)
Posted by: Matt - uk at May 14, 2007 12:08 PM