Salad Days...........yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It all started with the office party which is of course still to take place in two days. I had promised the 'girls' a long awaited treat of biryanis and bacardi at my place...which slowly evolved into a well............salads, pastas etc lunch. Perfectionist that I am, i whizzed off to defence colony market today to check out some exotic pasta sauces and salad leaves for the day. I usually am pretty happy to open a can of ready made pasta sauce but this time I wanted to simmer the sauces at home, my way. Its not everyday that my work colleagues see this domesticated side of me.

I am glad I went because it helped me pick up everything for my favourite salad in the world. To begin with anyone who hasn't shopped at the defence colony market for food has missed an experience. I will never forget how many years ago a snooty aunt made an uncle drive all the way from Civil Lines to get fish from Defence Colony market. After today I think she was on to something there.

I stumbled on some fabulous rocket leaves, delicately placed in an AC shop and that spurred me to hope that I could make my favourtie salad at home. I do not have the energy to go to INA market, an experience I am saving for those happy days when I will potter around in the kitchen after retirement. My favourite salad in all the world is the Insalata Felix, served at restaurant I promote...........while the salad has actually been named after a pet, it offers the delectable combination of goat cheese, orange, pine nuts and rocket leaves,with a dressing which I will now keep secret!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway after some sweet directions from the vegetable vendors I found imported goat cheese.manna from heaven..........and the shop keeper kindly cut me a wedge from a very formidable looking chunk.

Back home, my maids looked at me aghast as I mixed my favourite salad, dunked it in the fridge to cool and sat and stuffed green leaves unshamedly into my mouth once it was done. Total cost??????????Well rocket costs Rs. 200 a kilo, my bunch came for thirty bucks, cheese that went in would be about 50, half an orange, i'd venture ten bucks, pine nuts worth another twenty bucks, so say about 120 bucks for a salad................cheaper than what you would pay outside and absolutely fresh and delicious..................

As I have happily told the vegetable vendor who gave me his card and promised home delivery to my office (luckily in defence colony too).........he had made a permanent new customer...........

And if the next blog is on shitake mushrooms or perfectly plump asparagus right in the middle of the city...................you will have to pardon me!!!!!!!!!!!!!