Sassy Salads Making Party at the Library

Browsing the library calendars as I do, I saw there was a going to be wine pairing event at the Kimberly-Little Chute Library. I was excited and couldn't wait to sign up. Apparently their plans changed and we went from wine to vinaigrettes. It still sounded promising and even though I am not a vinaigrette person, I was excited to learn how make one. Who knows maybe I would find one I liked.

Produce with Purpose, located near Fond du Lac, provided all the fresh vegetables for this class. Megan, our wonderful instructor, introduced me to some new vegetables -- a sweet Italian onion, candy striped beats, white beats, and black peppers which are green on the inside.

Instead of lettuce, kale was the green of choice. I avoid green leafy vegetables that are healthy and trendy... ok I really avoid most green leafy vegetables.

I put on my big girl panties and a made my first kale salad complete with onion, cucumbers (gotta have cucumbers), 3 types of sweet peppers, 2 types of beets, and a pear slice -- just because I could.

The key to a good vinaigrette is remembering the 3 to 1 ratio -- 3 parts oil to 1 part acid and having a good emulsifier like honey or jam. Regular vegetable oil worked best unless you wanted to bring out the oil's flavor. Vinegar or citrus juice was a good acid. Honey, syrup, jam worked well as an emulsifier -- something for the oil and acid to cling too.

I opted for white balsamic vinegar as my acid and honey and raspberry jam for my emulsifier. I found the jam was too tart by itself and add some honey to bring up the sweetness. I still had a tart flavor but it was the right amount of tartness.

The making of the vinaigrette is a chemistry lesson that may or may work out perfectly. It is a test of pouring the oil into the acid/emulsifier mixture and stirring everything together at the right speed so it blends together and not merely layers. Layering is good but then it would require you to stir your dressing before using it. If it is blended perfectly you can serve it without having to stir it before drizzling it on your salad.

Mine was almost perfect but did have some separation issues.

The salad was really good and the dressing was amazing. I am still not ready to run out and buy kale to make it at home.

I joked to my family we were going to have a kale/beet/pear salad with a cherry vinaigrette for Thanksgiving. Needless to say, no one really liked that idea besides my cousin. The hubby gave me weird looks when i finished up my salad with dinner later that night.

I am no longer scared of kale or vinaigrettes. I am planning on keeping my recipe sheets just in case I even have an itch to try one again.

Anytime I can try new foods and make new foods/things on someone else's dime, I call it a successful night. I am glad the library offered this kind of program and hopefully they will continue to do so in the future.