Living the Belle Époque: A Beautiful Summer Salad

I don’t know about where you are, but it’s miserably hot here. Even with air conditioning, the heat has a way of taking away a person’s appetite. For many of us, the last thing we want to do after driving in the heat is to come home and prepare a hot meal. A healthy solution is a gorgeous summer salad like this one. Fresh green, avocados, carrots, artichoke hearts, cucumbers, hearts of palm, radishes and multi-colored tomatoes cushion candied walnuts, dried cherries, fresh strawberries and blueberries. Add the tang of blue cheese and a light Dijon mustard vinaigrette, and you’ve got a meal that you’re happy to devour after a sweaty day.

Always a favorite of mine--any time of the year--I typically request this salad for my birthday dinner.  With one of my mother's amazing cheese soufflés, this is a dinner worth the wait.