We chose our salad greens [and reds and magenta’s and ruby’s and copper’s] for taste, color & texture. Starting at the greenhouse, there’s lots of cruciferous fireworks with arugula, tat soi & mizuna. Magenta spreen is a favorite and just around the there’s a burst of ruby orach. Dappled lettuce leaves are a favorite. Speckled trout, perfectly named. And deer tongue, very anatomically correct if you’re a deer, but not invited to this banquet. Stay out please. [Truth is we leave little goodies in pots outside the greenhouse for these night time foragers. Call us softies.] And then beet greens & kales give the crisp textures. Tickly Russian red and reptilian skinned Italian lacinato.
A little of this. A little of that, and each evening at Topside Tavern comes an ever changing palate to temp eye as well as tongue. Dressing secret ingredient?
Maple syrup that over the winter was mere sap in a local stand of trees. It’s all finished with a pickled egg, edible day lily, sprinkle of pumpkin seeds [the pumpkins come later], candied pecans, cranberries & a buttery crostini. Tutti a tavola…[Did we say we love Lydia?]