Just what does this mean anyway? It seems to me to be one of those idioms that came out of nowhere. Now the “salad days” have fallen out of favor, only uttered by grandmothers, and linguists interested in peculiar vernaculars. But I did a bit of bird dogging (watch out, the vernacular is flying) and discovered the term was coined by none other than William Shakespeare in Antony and Cleopatra, and means youthful innocence, or indiscretion. What this has to do with salad, is anyone’s guess. And what this posting has to do with vernacular speech and etymology is really up to you.

But it’s spring, almost summer, a time when enjoying a salad for your evening meal seems less dietetic and more of a celebration of the season. Certainly not a salad my grandmother would make, this salad was bright and sweet, lightly dressed with dijon mustard, lemon juice and olive oil, with a healthy dose of cracked black pepper. Butter lettuce, delicate in texture, was adorned with micro greens, a heartier texture, and bright pink in color. Peppery radish slices mingled with fresh, raw corn– sweet niblets of flavor, and the occasional chopping of chive lended an oniony strength to this melange of vegetables. And mesquite smoked salmon with strong, hardly cracked, fresh black pepper topped off the mix with its meaty saltiness.

I know, it’s just a salad, but it was delightful in its simplicity, hearty, but not overly filling. It just felt good to eat. Sometimes, after a few too many meals eaten out, a salad, tossed together and enjoyed at home, is the perfect remedy.