Salad Love

The simple art of making a great salad

WHY SALADS?

As a passionate cook and native Californian, it’s almost impossible to not love salads. I am always excited to bring a salad when invited somewhere for a meal. At one of these dinners, a good friend said to me “Liza, one day, I want to see a book of all your beautiful salads,” so I thought, why not?

From the ocean to the mountains to the farms, California’s diverse geography produces an abundance of delicious produce. It’s no wonder California has become the epicenter of health conscious, “slow food,” farmers’ markets, organic farming and artisanal food products. Excellent produce, coupled with California’s diverse ethnic population makes the Golden State a desirable place to live, and visit, for all those who love good food. With such a fresh, healthy and diverse bounty, California offers the perfect recipe for a salad.

Salads are everywhere. Unfortunately, many are made from inferior produce and overdressed with sugary bottled dressing. The truth is, making a healthy and delicious salad is really quite simple. A salad is a showcase of produce, so naturally the first step is sourcing high-quality, organic (when available) and seasonal ingredients. The fresher the ingredients, the better the salad. The recipes in my book are organized by seasons, ensuring that the ingredients required are at their peak of ripeness and deliciousness.

Once you have your ingredients, the rest really falls to organization, prep and a well-stocked pantry. Salad Love will guide you through these details. From washing the lettuce, preparing the vegetables, choosing ingredients and making the dressing, each step is key to the success of your salad.

Excerpt from SALAD LOVE—The Simple Art of Making a Great Salad, by Liza Cannata (Three Hungry Boys, 2022.) Photographs by Michelle K. Min and design by Alyssa Warnock.