Kara's Sights & Bites: Musings from the internet…

By Kara Kimbrough

    Every now and then, I like to share some of the most interesting food finds from the internet…just things that catch my attention and make me want to create them or at the very least, tuck away in the file of “things I plan to try one day.” Here are just a few of the interesting things that caught my eye last week.

    First, while I don’t follow this person on social media, she’s a celebrity of sorts from her family’s wildly-popular reality TV show and the millions of dollars she made selling lipstick. As a result, photos from her days-long 28^th birthday celebration – as expected, expensive and over-the-top – were posted all over the internet. While not a fan of her or her family, I DO enjoy seeing how the insanely wealthy live, so of course, I had to check them out. 

    Looking at photos of the celebrity’s birthday dinner - a surprisingly tasteful event attended solely by close family and friends - I was surprised to see the decorator had set a long table with a basic white cloth and white china. Even more surprising was the winding centerpiece extending the length of the table. Simple white roses, wildflowers and stemmed raspberries in plain glass vases, old-fashioned beeswax candles in antique gold candleholders were interspersed with...wait for it...plump red tomatoes still on the vine.

    I’m sure there’s a story there somewhere, but whatever the reason, it actually worked. The end result was elegant, tasteful and colorful without being gaudy – a description usually applied to this family. In short, the table contains many décor elements I would actually use to decorate my own table.

   For dinner, guests enjoyed a simple yet appetizing-looking Mediterranean spread of arugula, cucumber and tomato salads, couscous, stuffed peppers, stacks of fresh pita bread, olives and a variety of vegetable spreads and dips. The main dish appeared to be thick slices of peasant bread topped with burrata and tomato slices and what appeared to be scoops of chicken salad. As a result of viewing this delicious assortment of Mediterranean food, I immediately decided I HAD to have at least a taste.

    Luckily, I found a package of frozen pita bread in my freezer, baked several pieces and cut them into long strips. A mixture of sour cream and olive salad (a staple in my refrigerator) provided the perfect dip for the warm pita bread. I can thank this celebrity for her party pics that inspired me to eat more Mediterranean food – not just for the taste, but numerous health benefits as well.

    The following day, I watched a video of someone creating the famous 1905 Salad. I wrongfully assumed the salad had been named for the year in which it was created, To the contrary, I learned that it actually came about in the 1940’s. A waiter at Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, Florida, created it using leftover ingredients in the kitchen and named it “1905” in homage of the year the restaurant opened.

    A few decades later, the salad loaded with regular ingredients as well as sliced meats and cheeses was added to the menu as the restaurant’s answer to the popular salad bar trend. The ingredients are delicious and hearty enough for a meal, but in my opinion, the flavorful dressing is what sets this salad apart from the rest.

    These (and other) things have intrigued me this week…stay tuned for more internet musings and remember, not everything on the internet is negative if, like your meals, you focus solely on the “good stuff.”

1905 Salad from Columbia Restaurant

2 heads iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, cut into eighths

1/2 cup ham, (deli sliced, ham steak, or leftover ham) cut into strips

1/2 cup Swiss cheese sliced and cut into strips

1/4 cup Spanish olives, cut in halves of quarters, depending on the size

1-2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

Dressing:

1/8 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

     In a large salad bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients, except Romano cheese. If ham and cheese pieces are sticking together, try to separate the pieces.

Make Dressing:

     In a small bowl, or a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk or shake vigorously to evenly combine. Add half the dressing to salad, toss to evenly dress. Taste and adjust amount of dressing to your taste. Sprinkle Romano over the top of the salad bowl or on individual plated servings.

Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at [email protected].