Here in the edible Hawaiian Islands test kitchen we constantly have conversations about food that tend to lead to food-related questions for which there really is no right or wrong answer. We all agree that taste is subjective, but, once the conversation starts going, we often find a common thread that connects the dots. When we were thinking about our spring issue we had so many strong opinions about what makes a great salad that we ended up making a flow chart.
HERE’S WHAT WE AGREED UPON THIS TIME:
The salad must have greens and vegetables, though the vegetables may be raw, grilled, pickled or cooked. The dressing is always a combination of oil and acid, with an optional creamy component. Salt is a must, as well as something to add a bit of crunch such as seeds, croutons or toasted nuts. We all agree that texture is key and sticking to fresh and local ingredients is a must. Finally, assembling a good salad is an intersection of science and art as we hope to display over the next eight pages.
We invited a chef from each Hawaiian island to share a salad recipe, along with some of their favorite farms to work with, and then we invited a talented photographer to capture images of these edible works of art before they’re gone! Make your own favorite salad combination, snap a photo, and share it on @instagram and tag us @ediblehi.
