Corn, Potato and veggie Salad

Over the last five years I have only flown International flights, mostly to England to see my family and friends. I tend to fly American, I started to fly them 30 years ago when they were a good airline and the food was pretty OK. The Olives were still on the salad, the romaine was green, the rolls were warm and a warm hand towel was served prior to the meal; you were also given a small bottle of wine to drink. Slowly but surely it has become inedible. About 18 or so years ago I started to take my own food. It wasn’t even that I was looking for anything gourmet, I just like to eat healthily, so tend to take salads, fruit, maybe a piece of chicken. For a brief moment I was flying a lot and got upgrades to Business Class, where once again the food was pretty OK, so I would eat it. Then the last few times I was in Business even that food was blah, and I really did notice that the Business men got their choices and I as a woman, and not necessarily a business woman, was overlooked by the stewardesses in favor of their flirting with the men. The last time I flew to California I was on JetBlue to San Francisco, I quite enjoyed their snack packages not that I ate much of it. Coming back the man sitting with me unpacked a whole roast chicken, that he slowly devoured as we flew across Country. I don’t remember what I ate then, but he and his chicken have stayed in mind, he even told me how he marinated and cooked it.

I have to admit Virgin would be my first choice to fly to London, but I like a morning flight, and theirs flies from Newark, and who wants to deal with getting to Newark at 6 am? Not me. I flew Virgin a few years back and their food was great, the dessert was a Gu Blackcurrant mousse, and it was gourmet! So when I thought of going to Los Angeles to see friends over the Labor Day weekend. I said yes, I will fly Virgin America. Ian, my nephew, had flown them to New York, he too had a Gu and good food. So, even though as I made my corn and potato salad, and cut up fruit, I told myself I wouldn’t need it, as I was on Virgin and the food would be semi decent. Imagine my surprise then when we weren’t even offered a banana and yogurt for Breakfast. I know the ticket probably said snacks available or some such thing. But you have to buy snacks! I did get two tiny bottles of water though!! I have to admit, I was quite disappointed, but gratefully enjoyed my salads. I always have a window seat and love to watch the earth beneath me. Interesting to see the roads laid out for subdivisions that appear to have never been built. But very disturbing to see the brown fields of drought, that got so much worse the further west we flew. A diversity of crops other than Industrial Corn that makes us obese, and cows that are not meant to eat corn sick so we fill them with antibiotics, that we then eat; and Soy Beans.

When I make, what I think of as a chunky salad, I start with what my taste buds or body is telling me it would enjoy, and then move to what I have to make that all happen. Half of the salad came from our garden, the successful raised bed and herbs; and the rest was local from Union Square. Corn and Potato Salad I like to cook my corn by putting in cold salted water and slowly bring it to a boil. Then turn of the heat, let the corn sit another minute or two, before removing it. Let cool before cutting off the kernels. Cook your corn by whatever method works for you. I have been told, 3 - 4 different methods. The potatoes I cut into desirable pieces, about 1/2 inch, place in cold salted water, bring to a boil, simmer until cooked about 5 minutes, depending on size. I find the potatoes keep their flavor and shape better this way. Cut up cherry tomatoes, kirby cucumbers, red italian peppers, small red salad onion or scallion. Mix together. Tear up 4/5 basil and mint leaves, scatter with vegetables. I wanted a little Cheese, thought about a number of possibilities but settled on Ricotta Salata, the saltiness was a good contrast to the sweetness of the vegetables and pepper flavors of the mint and basil. For this I made a very simple cider vinegar vinaigrette. In a small bowl combine1/4 cup cider vinegar, tea spoon salt - kosher or sea salt; add a good tablespoon of dijon mustard, teaspoon of honey and a cup of good Virgin Olive Oil. I make my vinaigrettes in old Bonne Maman jam jars, which are the perfect size, and keep the vinaigrette fresh. Fruit salad: cut up local saturn peaches; the small strawberries that look like Frais de Bois; and Blueberries.