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Mint Almond Cherry Salad

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Mint Cherry Almond Salad

The memory of crawling up on to the perfect low hanging branch of our cherry tree as a child comes back to me in whispers whenever I find myself searching for my happy place. I enjoyed the cherries well enough, but really it was about the climbing, perching and imagining the possibilities that became precious in my heart.

Typically we would pick as many of the wee fruit as possible, hoping to not find any worms, and then one day my Dad would come in with a big ladder and swoop the rest into buckets and subsequently into his Cherry Wine. Which is another story for another day.

When the tree came down, I was thankfully not home, but it was a bit like finding out my childhood pet had passed away. Sadness. But, such is the cycle of nature, goodness is fleeting and you hope the memories are solid. I can still feel the trees cool, smooth skin, my legs dangling and I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

The memory of crawling up on to the perfect low hanging branch of our cherry tree as a child comes back to me in whispers whenever I find myself searching for my happy place. I enjoyed the cherries well enough, but really it was about the climbing and perching and imagining the possibilities of living in a tree that became precious in my heart.

Typically we would pick as many of the little fruit as possible, hoping to not find any worms, and then one day my Dad would come in with a big ladder and swoop the rest into buckets and subsequently into his Cherry Wine. Which is another story for another day.

When the tree came down, I was thankfully not home, but it was a bit like finding out my childhood pet had passed away. Sadness. But, such is the cycle of nature, goodness is fleeting and you hope the memories are solid. I can still feel the trees cool, smooth skin, my legs dangling and I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

Another memory during that time was the abundance of mint lining the side of our house. That mint in my parent’s yard, having been periodically pruned into submission, is not going away anytime soon. I embrace the memories of attempting mint sun tea and brushing against the bush accidentally only to be coated by the loveliest of smells. I like to think it was the combination of these two memories that made this salad come together.

While visiting my childhood home, I must have been longing for that tree. Thankfully, Washington is abundant with cherries and my parent’s yard is flush with mint. This salad soon took form and became a way to channel my sweetest, youngest days.

My original intentions were to create a cream-y-ish vegan dressing, not too sweet, that would play well with fruit. So it starts with what is basically a thick almond milk and ends with a slight emulsification of the olive oil. Play around with this salad, try a stone fruit that is more abundant for you this time of year or maybe one that bursts with memories: apricots, nectarines, peaches, pluots, and more.

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1/4 cup water
1/4 cup mint
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon honey, optional
4 cups lettuce, wash, dried and torn into pieces
1 cup cherries, sliced, halfed and pitted

Place half of the almonds in a blender with the water. Whirl around until smooth. Add the mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until thick and evenly combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending at a very low speed. Avoid blending it too long as it can cause the delicate oil to become bitter. Taste. Add the honey if it could use a touch of sweetness (we usually skip it).

Tear the salad greens into pieces and spread into one large or individual salad bowls. Drizzle on the dressing, the remaining almond slices and a sprinkle of the cherry halves.

Now, your turn… Which stone fruit holds the most memories for you?

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Love well,

Chef Lilly

Trying to decide what produce to eat these days goes beyond choosing a particular type of fruit or vegetable. There seems to be endless controversy about whether you should go local, conventional, organic or what?! In my home, we keep to a basic set of guidelines about what we choose to buy on a regular basis.

1.  Seasonal 

Starting in season means local or organic are actually more affordable and abundant. Organic tomatoes out of season are not going to melt in your mouth the same way they will if sun-ripened on the vine. And it will cost more for that disappointing quality, too. Most groceries meet consumer demand by providing zucchini, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers and more all year long. Determining what actually is in season can be a challenge. Many groceries have the seasonal items on display in large quantity at a discount, which helps. If you are stumped, Lilly’s Table is designed to keep you cooking and eating seasonal produce through recipes and weekly meal plans.

2. Local

Just as the seasons effect when produce is available, location can open up a new world of possibilities. Support your local economy and get to know your farmer. The easiest way to buy local is through a CSA (community supported agriculture) Farm Box where you buy into a share in exchange for locally produced, beautiful vegetables & more on a weekly basis. Another option is to purchase food from your Farmers Market every week. I do both as the CSA is a magical surprise of goodness every week, while Farmers Markets allows me choice and an opportunity to chat with my farmers.

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This is a great next choice when you are not able to get close to your farmer. Keep in mind, organic produce traveling from South America or elsewhere has a huge environmental impact. Also, other countries are not met with the same stringent organic labeling standards as American farmers. Getting produce from another part of the world in a different season means it is traveling quite a distance, making the carbon foot-print larger than buying conventional. When selecting produce with the organic label, do your best to find out where it was originally grown.

4. Conventional

There are times when buying in-season conventional produce makes sense especially if it means eating vegetables instead of eating processed food products. I personally would choose to eat conventional produce over organic food products. Fresh fruits & vegetables, whether or not pesticides are used, are better than not eating them at all. An easy aide for deciding when to buy conventional or organic is the Dirty Dozen. Print out cards or download it to take with you when you are at the store and stumped about which is best. This guide let’s you know the produce that is safest to eat conventionally with the Clean 15 list as well as the Dirty Dozen to avoid.

Extra tip: Check your PLU code stickers on all of your fruits & veggies. If it starts with a 9, it is organic. An 8 is a GMO (Genetically Modified Organism), although this labeling is not required so it is rare to see it. Any other number, often just 4-digits, are conventional. I have seen fruit with a big sign declaring it was organic only to notice the PLU stickers on each fruit was conventional. I am sure it was just an employee stocking error, but it is nice to know what you are getting.

We each have an opportunity, several times per day, to vote with our dollars about the types of food we would like to be available. The choice is yours, but when you demand the highest quality produce, while supporting your local economy you are letting the food industry know what you would like to see more of. Together we can all make a beautiful impact on our food system.