What is it about a salad that has made it an essential food? Usually composed of room temperature greens bound together with a dressing, they have been a desirable food for centuries. Originally assembled from wild plants gathered from hillsides, they weren't considered particularly nutritional in ancient times but they always provided a contrast in texture, taste and heat (or lack of it) to the main meal. Over time, salads morphed into a highly valued separate dish across the world. They were dressed up with olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice. They began to develop distinctive features such as local ingredients and salad bowls. They were given their own place in a meal, sometimes before the main meal, sometimes as the entire meal, and sometimes as a last course. Some salads were even given their very own names.
From vegetable garnish to grande sallets, this is an appetizing history of salads. It is a book about changing attitudes and evolving lifestyles, as raw greens and fresh vegetables have become more highly valued as healthy eating choices. It is truly global in scope, describing the development of salad recipes across Europe, the Americas and Asia, and is essential reading for food historians and food lovers everywhere.