french inspired summer salad + honey & dijon, apple cider vinaigrette
i believe in reincarnation. in the notion that we have lived past lives and for some those past lives can be remembered, glimpses are seen and moments are felt. i can't say that i have ever actually had glimpses or felt moments but i fully believe that i have very strong roots from europe. i am half ukrainian, which is obviously a part of it, but i don't know that side of my family at all so i feel like there is something more driving my european love affair...
my deep love of european culture and architecture is palpable. i have only been to europe once but it was an instant love connection. besides canada it is the only place that has ever felt like "home" even when just visiting. paul and i fell head over heals in love with amsterdam and both said it could be a place we would want to live outside of canada. now granted we have never been to france or italy butttt i have some pretty strong feelings that they are places i am meant to explore. i love french and italian food, their cooking processes memorize me, their cultures intoxicate me and their architecture and design literally hits my core. it is so hard for me to articulate how much i love european life and the pull it has had on me since i was a little girl...
my dream would be to live in the french or italian countryside, in a small rustic cottage, surrounded by floral gardens and veggie beds, with a cobbled stone veranda, vines growing up an old brick house and a swing in the trees for afternoon tea and reading. i mean it could be in our west coast countryside as well, which is most definitely more likely! but at least a visit to france and italy is for sure in our plans...maybe an overseas retirement half the year kinda plan....
victoria is a gorgeous place and trust me in how grateful i feel to live here. surrounded by ocean and wild beauty, every time i get off a plane and take a deep breath of west coast air i am instantly soothed, so i really don't think i could ever fully give up our home here. plus the creative force that is within this city is incredible...from photographers, to weavers, to designers, to florists, to shop owners and everything in-between their is an abundance of females doing big boss lady things.
it is a small city so usually you know someone that knows someones thats heard of someone and so on. the grapevine telephone gets you around. which is how i met tara hurst...after a couple of years following each other on instagram, knowing of each other but not knowing each other we finally sat down last week for coffee and it was an instant click...we spent the entire day together talking and shooting and sharing....i love collaborations like this, ones that feel natural and easy. she has recently started a new creative director dream job for a chateau in the burgundy region of france...chateau de pommard, aka total fairytale, dream land!
while sipping and chatting i also shot some images of wine and tossed up this effortless french inspired salad that we nibbled on between takes...it showcases all of the beautiful summer time starts...strawberries, sugar snap peas, mixed garden greens, arugula and cherry tomatoes...topped with goat cheese, good quality butcher prosciutto and a light honey & dijon apple cider vinaigrette. its perfect for hot summer nights when you don't want to eat something heavy. because the ingredients are simple you won't really tire of it and can include it throughout your summer evenings as a starter or even a main....
french inspired summer salad + honey & dijon apple cider vinaigrette
ingredients
mixed garden greens
arugula
local strawberries
a variety of cherry tomatoes
thinly shaved fennel
roasted pumpkin seeds
goat cheese
sugar snap peas (shelled)
a few slices of prosciutto
honey & dijon apple cider viniagrette
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey (or more to taste)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
directions
its a salad, i am pretty sure you know the drill and can gage how much you will need so i think measurements are a little unnecessary. toss the above ingredients together, making enough for one, two or an entire party.
for the vinaigrette, add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake...
drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve. a fresh bakery boule with a side of goat cheese and honey comb is a lovely addition, as is a good bottle of wine.