Constructing an Edible Art Form.

(Can you tell I'm getting desperate for subject matter....?)

First, one must go shopping for just the right ingredients - which are those ingredients one has at hand.

Chive blossoms for 'bite'

Variety of lettuces for color

"A" radish

Any strawberries the chipmunks left for me.

Then there is the washing, rewashing, spinning, snipping, slicing, dicing - all done with a bracing cup of Stash's double spice chai tea with honey and a dash of half-n-half.  

Buttercrunch in my new, BIG, salad
spinner!

Red leaf lettuce of some forgotten type.

My morning beverage of choice.

Then there is the pause (or three) where one tosses crunchy snacks at the dogs so one won't trip over them in one's kitchen.  Where they are always lurking.

I cannot resist them....

Then there is the rummaging in the over-crowded refrigerator for just the right accoutrement.  This would be anything that is just this side of still-good:  olives, bits of cheese, the odd radish (I had one, which is an odd number), nuts, seeds, hard boiled eggs, anything edible.  Other than, say, peanut butter or cat food. 

The GD chipmunks left me three strawberries.

Cut everything into bite-sized pieces.  I know that 'chopped' salads are now all the rage, but mine is chopped so that I don't festoon my office clothing (such as it is) with blobs of dressing and sticky pieces of lettuce. 

Select an attractive serving/carrying container.  Mine is the haute couture of salad "dressing" (sorry, couldn't help myself) - aka Used Ice Cream Tub.  Layer your ingredients so that the entire creation is awash in bright colors, interesting textures, all evenly dispersed.  Or, chuck it all in there, snap the lid on and give it a good shake.

Just like 007 - shaken, not stirred...

Carry your dressing separately.  I came across this darling little gadget when I was dragging myself through the clothes-shopping slog.  It holds just enough dressing to coat your creation, without making it all soggy.  This is my present favorite dressing - homemade ranch, seasoned with LOTS of dill (surprise, surprise).

I LOVE my little dressing squeezy thingy!

I guarantee that you will find your salad experience has just been ratcheted up a notch or two.  Not only will it be a thing of beauty, but it will be one of the most tasty lunches you've ever had.  This will come in handy when faced with a season's worth of salad greens - when you will be eating salad every.stinking.day.

***

I have been listening to the most delightful collection of Bertie & Jeeves stories during my commute and all I want to do is say, "What, ho? That's a bit of a wheeze. I say, that's a bit rummy!  It's a bit thick for a chappie."  I've been chortling for days.