Sometimes when the temperature hits 100º I long for a salad. Even history buffs like to take a break from antique cookbooks and dig into something crisp and delicious. On my England trip, one of the things I saw a lot was the combination of apples and blackberries. They go together beautifully. I have been making a blackberry apple pie for years and love the flavors together. But there will be no baking for me today, not in this weather.
Thanks to the wonders of science, we know that humans have been eating blackberries for at least 2500 years since there were blackberries in the stomach contents of the Iron Age “Haraldskaer Woman” found in a bog in Denmark in 1835 (and checked into with modern technology a few years ago). There’s your history!
Blackberries are a member of the Rubus genus, that is part of the Rosaceae family making it a relative of raspberries and roses… but you knew that, didn’t you? Although Oregon is the largest producer in the US, I got some local beauties in NYC this weekend. I just love them!
Since I had received a lovely selection of salad dressings from Girard’s, I decided to turn my fruit into a fruit salad to try one of the dressings. It was delicious.
The apple poppy seed dressing was a natural with the fruit. It is sweet with a subtle tang that went well with the salad and best of all it was ready in minutes.
GIVEAWAY
What do you put together when you are sweltering? Let me know and I will give away 3 sets of these lovely dressings (Apple Poppyseed, Champagne, Balsamic and Peach Mimosa) to 3 lucky readers thanks to the nice folks at Girard’s. I will announce the winners next week and they will send you your prize!! How cool is that?
Apple Blackberry Avocado Salad For 2
½ an Apple, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
1 c Blackberries
½ Avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
½ c Pistachios
1 Shallot, sliced thinly
4 c Arugula
½ Lemon, juiced
Girard’s Poppy seed Dressing to your taste.
Toss the apple and avocado with the lemon juice. Put the arugula in a bowl or plate. Arrange the avocado and apple slices and toss the blackberries, pistachios and shallot around the top.
Pour dressing over the top. Toss and serve!
I have just broken 50 posts and 100 followers... thanks to all of you for making this so much fun!!!!
This sounds quite delicious. Diane
ReplyDeleteI love to make fruit smoothies with ice when it's hot. They're quick to make, refreshing and also healthy :D and I'm a fruit addict so I love them in any form! (And I really want to try this salad recipe you posted. Must be lush!)
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine got me hooked on Stonyfield farms yogurt (normally I don't like yogurt), so I often have a bowl of that with berries or granola. I also really like spinach salads with something tangy and something sweet and a light dressing.
ReplyDeleteI don't comment often, and your food is usually way out of my cooking league, but I love your blog and the stories behind the recipes. Thanks for writing!
What an interesting and beautiful salad! Alas we are in the throes of Winter so eating a salad like this is a dream that will be realised in a few months! :)
ReplyDeleteWhen it's sweltering, I love a juicy BLT. :)
ReplyDeleteI've never tried this particular combo, but will certainly give it a try. Looks and sounds beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI want to make this right now....well maybe lunch seeing how it's morning! Ha ha, I love blackberries, apples and avocados!!! Altogether is my idea of Heaven!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe and the giveaway!
Hugs,
Margaret B
Foodfun> it is really yummy.
ReplyDeleteMadmoiselle>Smoothies are brilliant in the summer.... thanks for stopping by.
Mikki: Yeah, organic yogurt is best and cool in the summer. My blog has been a bit of a bucket list for me... trying all sorts of unusual things and learning so much. Many recipes seem fancy but aren't. Even if you can't quite feel up to making them.. you can use them for ideas... that is what chefs do all the time.. borrow from the past!
Lorraine> It is funny when you write about cool we are freezing and vice versa... this is a great salad for a hot day...and so pretty!
Sara> BLT's are my favorite breakfast...well actually BTs!
Medieval> Thanks, it is a great place to start and you can play with the ingredient list (ie raspberries and pears or peaches)
French Bear> You go girl... what's wrong with salad for breakfast???
This is fantastic - especially the history of blackberries! As I will be getting more blackberries soon from the farm, I will have to try this combination. When it's sweltering and I don't want to cook, I love a cold Sauvignon Blanc, some fresh goat cheese and fruit for dinner.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a delicious salad and giveaway! Perhaps that Danish woman was trying to get cool too when she ended up in a bog ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen it's hot, I'll cook anything that doesn't require turning on the oven or stove so it's usually grilled. I really cut down on the carbs too so it's usually just a light meat or fish and salad or grilled veggies.
This beautiful salad is making my mouth water even though it's breakfast time. And its presented so perfectly in your lovely cut glass bowl. Nice giveaway as well.
ReplyDeleteTry the chicken salad that I made, it was sooo good!
ReplyDeleteOh those are such pretty little blackberries!
ReplyDeleteI also love that combination...especially in pie. Thank you Deana!
When it is really hot I love to chop up some fabulous tomatoes and place in a large mixing bowl, wilt some garlic in a bit of olive oil and pour over the uncooked tomatoes, add some salt and pepper, tear in some fresh basil from the garden and let it sit and macerate for about an hour. Cook up a pound of angel hair or spaghetti and add the hot pasta to the bowl of tomatoes and you have summer in a bowl.Sprinkle a bit a grated Parmesan over top. Yummmmm.......
Smart, creative and flavor packed salad. Congrats on all your success with your blog. You really do a wonderful job.
ReplyDeleteAwesome and good looking salad.
ReplyDeleteWhen is too hot, thing we do not have in England :(. If I am in Portugal I just do not want to make the kitchen any hotter, so I put together like a black-bean salad that required no actually cooking, just chopping and mixing. Then turn the outdoors barbecue on and grill some nice fresh fish. Nothing better than fresh grilled fish with bean salad and of course a big green salad made for refreshing our Portuguese summer dinner ♥
Congrats on 50 posts and 100 followers, that's really exciting! Blackberries and apples looks like a combination I definitely need to try!
ReplyDeleteIced tea is my go-to drink....all day. Light salads are the order of the day for lunch. And this one really looks lovely, Deana. Blackberries and apples pair together so well!
ReplyDeleteI just won a Girard giveaway from Pam at Sidewalk Shoes, so don't enter me.... but it's a lovely gift!
Beautiful salad! My treat on a sweltering day is sangria. I can drink a pitcherful. Team that up with tapas and I'm set - herbed olives, manchego cheese with my apple reduction, and homemade flatbreads - that type of thing. Stuff you don't have to cook in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteFor dinner this sweltering evening, I made a Waldorf Chicken Salad. Nice and cool, as well as, crunchy!
ReplyDeleteThis looks declisious! I know what ill be making for dinner tomorrow night...
ReplyDeleteThe blackberry salad looks so refreshing and delicious!
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy that we KNOW that we've been eating blackberries well into our history. Really. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteThis salad looks fantastic! I love adding fruits to salad...gives them an extra kick!
This recipe is beautiful and healthy! Gorgeous photos. I really hope you will submit this to http://www.FindingVegan.com ~Kathy
ReplyDeleteYour blackberry salad is beautiful. I love cottage cheese mixed with fruits in hot weather, and there's nothing like a cold sandwich loaded with sliced tomatoes and lettuce. And, of course, there's always a pitcher of iced tea in the fridge!
ReplyDeleteI love a nice cold salad,potato salad, just a fruit plate or smoothies!
ReplyDeletejacksoncrisman@yahoo.com
Ohhh this looks lovely! I don't think I have ever had blackberries with apples...but it does sound fantastic! Great photos too!
ReplyDeleteI have to say hot weather seems very far off at the moment! But when it's hot a salad of beetroot, fennel and orange really seems to hit the spot.
ReplyDeleteHere in Maine we make Italian sandwiches- you take a sub roll, fill it with ham, american cheese slices, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, black olives and pickles. Then you add some salt and pepper and a little veggie oil on top and you've got your sandwich which tastes very good on a hot day!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful salad!
ReplyDeleteWhen it's hot - I'd just rather eat out ;-)
lol.
Mmm! This salad looks so fancy!
ReplyDeleteOn a hot day I crave salsa. Store bought or home-made. It doesn't matter!
Lots of homemade ice cream!
ReplyDelete