Comments on: Greek Salad

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 03:45:27 +0000

Lydia–citrus based dressings are among my favorites, ever. Especially lemon. But, I will not turn my nose up at lime or orange-based dressings, either!

Sometimes vinegar is too harsh–even the really nice ones. I find that citrus has a lighter, less obtrusive flavor that just opens up the flavors of the vegetables and greens and wakes them up.

Bomboniera–I agree–some kalamatas are just too salty. But the really excellent ones–the fruity ones–oh, they are divine and to die for! They are just so damned good!

Hey, FatFred–good to see you here again!

That potato salad business sounds fabulous, just fabulous. Maybe I should try to recreate it….

Isis–I suspect the greens are a Greek-American thing, not a Greek thing. And I think they came about in the restaurant business, because greens are cheap compared to the other ingredients.

But, you know, when it isn’t iceberg lettuce and you use fresh good stuff and the cheese is good and the dressing is fresh and fabulous–man, is it to the good! You should try it!

By: Isis

Isis — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 17:41:36 +0000

Funny, I have never had a greek salad with greens. For me it is just: tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper (bell pepper), onion, olives (preferably kalamata), and feta in slices. Olive oil and indeed some oregano. But than every salad has many versions.

Yours looks yummy, so definetely will try it, as my husband (after eating choriatiki in Greece almost every day) does not want to eat another one for a year.

By: FatFred

FatFred — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 00:47:12 +0000

Here in Florida Tarpon Springs is the local Greek community. Louis Pappas is the Grandaddy of Greek food and the local “Greek Salad” contains all the things you mention, and… in the middle of it, somewhere you will find a lump of potato salad. Very firm, with oregano and wine vinegar usually in the mix. Not the slippery, mustard based kind. A hunk of fresh Greek bread and a glass of anything you like and these salads make the perfect summer meal while sitting next to the sponge docks and waiting for the day to cool down.

By: Bomboniera

Bomboniera — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:45:58 +0000

MMmm, so delicious. I’m also a big fan of the Greek salad. (Don’t get me started on a nice Nicoise. Or an old-school Caesar made with farmers market eggs. Mmmm.) I’ll often sub the wrinkly oil-cured olives for the kalamatas, though, which I sometimes find too salty. Or I’ll add a little oil-packed tuna to make it a full meal, in which case I’ll just squeeze a lemon over the whole thing rather than make a dressing.

It’s so true, though – when everything’s beautiful and in season, you’ve got to make as many salads as possible.

By: Lydia

Lydia — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:31:31 +0000

Barbara, I wonder if the specialty stores’ promotion of artisanal vinegars, and vinegar tastings, and vinegar pairings, has made people forget about other forms of acid as the base for vinaigrette-type dressings. Lemon and orange both make wonderful light dressings for fresh-from-the-garden vegetables, and don’t compete with the sharp flavor of cheeses like feta. Thanks for the reminder about the joys of a true Greek salad!