9 Essentials for Epic Summer Salads
Create a lovely summer salad with these unique finds available in Sonoma stores.
An epic salad isn’t built in a day. But, once composed with the right products to dress it up and show it off, it can be thrown together in a few minutes. Click through the gallery for some lovely items, all available in Sonoma County, to make a stunning stand-alone salad or a spectacular beginning to a multi-course meal.
FIND YOUR LIQUID GOLD
The most basic way to make a salad taste really good is to toss it lightly with a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. In Sonoma, salad enthusiasts can enjoy locally-made liquid gold in olive oil tasting rooms and at home. The Olive Press, run by the Cline winemaker family, cultivates 45 acres of Italian and Spanish olive orchards in Sonoma. Sample their oils at the tasting bar at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards and pair your summer salads with their Limonata, made from late harvest Mission olives and Meyer Lemons. $22, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, 24724 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-939-8900, theolivepress.com
ADD VENERABLE VINEGAR
A remedy to all things bland, this flavorful strawberry vinegar is the result of a 20-year old process by local olive tamer, Frank Figone. Let the strawberry flavor guide you when composing your salad, offering a beautiful counterpoint to the olive oil while adding a sweetness to fruit and greens fit for a summer day. $29, Figone's Olive Oil, 483 1st St W, Sonoma, (707) 282-9092, figoneoliveoil.com
SPIN IT RIGHT
Watery lettuce can dilute a salad. Remove the water with this spinner by OXO. The stainless bowl can double as a salad server and holds up to regular dishwashing to boot. $49.99, Home, 186 N Main St Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-824-1400, cultivatehome.com.
SHAKE THINGS UP
Craft your own dressing with this labeled glass salad mixer. With several recipes and measure lines printed on the bottle, mixing your own is cinch. The plastic cap lets you keep remaining dressing fresh in the fridge for the next celebration of greens. $7.95, Cultivate Home, 186 N Main St Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-824-1400, cultivatehome.com
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BEHOLD THE BEAUTIFUL BOWL
Create a good looking display for your greens by picking out a pretty bowl. This rimmed acacia wood bowl is large with a low profile, which allows your veggies to shine while keeping salad tongs from jumping inside to play hide-and-seek. $59.98, Hardisty's Homewares, 1513 Farmers Ln, Santa Rosa, 707-545-0535, hardistys.com
MIX, A LOT
Whether it’s a rich Caesar, a citrusy Kale salad or a classic blue cheese, tongs are a great way to spread the dressing love. The combination of wood and stainless make these a perfect match for a wood or stainless bowl. $32, Petaluma Home & Garden, 516 Petaluma Blvd S, Petaluma, 707- 778-6177
COMPOSE
Why not make a composed salad, versus a tossed one, wherein you lay ingredients in a visually pleasing way and drizzle them with dressing? This accent plate by Costa Nova from Portugal makes a lovely backdrop for your opening culinary act and will dress up your ordinary dishware. $28, Ileoni, 120 Kentucky St, Petaluma, 707-762-9611, ileoni.com
SWEETEN THE DEAL
Oh, honey. The best dressings often incorporate an element of sweetness, and locally sourced honey is a beautiful addition to the best ingredients. $19.99, Bill's Farm Basket, 10315 Bodega Hwy, Sebastopol, 707-829-1777
TOP IT OFF
Cheese is the bees knees. And Chevre atop a salad is a mild, pleasing alternative to the stronger King of Salad Toppings, bleu cheese. This Chevre, produced by Santa Rosa’s own Daphne’s Creamery, is a bright and citrusy-smooth rendition of a classic. $5.99, Molsberry Market, 522 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, 707-546-5041, molsberrymarket.com
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