Potato Salad

The stellar spud. So versatile. So willing to be boiled, fried, baked, peeled, stuffed, mashed, smashed and otherwise violated, works for any season, served cold or hot, vegetarian-style or chock full of bacon.

I'm growing two varieties of organic potatoes this year - Russian banana and White Rose - I anxiously await their arrival. Partially because I want to get my hands into the earth and feel around for them.

In the meantime, my spudly pursuits involve B.C. waxy potatoes. How do you make potato salad? Let me count the ways.

Tonight I'm using a hit of mesclun greens and sharp cheese tossed in a honey-balsamic vinaigrette. A summery treat.

My mesclun is whatever is green and edible from the garden with a few flowers for garnish. We've got mizuna, mustard greens, parsley and some delicate lettuces.

While blue cheese would be ideal here, shaved off pieces of pecorino Romano suits just fine.

Potatoes are boiled whole and simmered until tender, peeled and then sliced, placed atop greens. Dressed, cheese, chives, flowers, salt and pepper. Ready.

Honey Balsamic

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. honey

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 cup light olive oil

salt

Shake, whisk or otherwise mix up.

Peas of mind

My attempts at growing food has produced some excellent if modest results. The challenge is to grow something, anything edible. Not only to address increasing food prices and poor food quality, but growing food is incredibly satisfying.

Peas are just coming into their own and the first harvest today will become a fresh pea risotto.

Fresh chives, pecorino and lemon zest along with some chicken stock. Dinner is soon to be served. 

My ratio has also been 1 cup arborio rice to 6 cups hot chicken stock. The rest is icing on the cake so to speak.

The finishing touch is a hit of stone milled organic olive oil with bitter oranges hailing from Crete. 

Welcome to my world

I've started this blog as a way to share my culinary findings at home and out in the world.

I'll weave in previously published pieces on ingredients and cooking that still hold relevance with new recipes and cooking adventures that come along. Hopefully you'll have a bit of fun - I certainly try to - maybe you'll learn something new, be inspired to cook, have a query answered, or be intrigued enough to travel somewhere you've never been before. Hope so.