Summer Salad Watercolor
Thanks to everyone who inspired me to paint by responding to my Simple Summer Salad Hunt. Results of the hunt (and feel free to add more salad ideas to this post) will be posted next week. A funny anecdote on this painting: my husband was trying to figure out if we have bowl that looks like this blue starred bowl. I told him no, I just made it up. Poetic/artistic license.
What kinds of ingredients make a great salad?
Mrs. S. says
Lovely painting! And I like your bowl story!
Leora says
It was funny, how my husband was puzzled. He was trying to figure out the bowl.
Laura says
Lovely painting! I would like a salad bowl like that . . . so cheerful.
Summer is the perfect time for salad because a great salad, I think, is all about really great fresh vegetables.
My favorite summer salad is sliced beefsteak tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and fresh basil leaves.
Another great vegan pate for summer is the Barefoot Contessa Roasted Eggplant Spread (http://pragmaticattic.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/barefoot-contessa-roasted-egggplant-spread/). Very complex flavor for very little effort.
I also love whole wheat couscous salad (http://pragmaticattic.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/whole-wheat-couscous-salad/)and tomato mint quinoa salad (http://pragmaticattic.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/tomato-mint-quinoa-salad/)in the summer
Leora says
Oh, now you are really make my mouth water.
Did I tell you I made your vegan chopped liver? It was delicious, though I think it tasted a little more like a bean spread than like chopped liver. But that doesn't really matter to me nor to those who enjoyed it.
Laura says
I'm so glad you made it and liked it. Thank you for letting me know.
It is funny, but the texture and a little bit the flavor made me think of refried beans, but somehow the overall flavor seemed vegetarian liver-ish to me. But, I can totally see what you mean about it being more bean spread-ish.
It has been so long since I have had real chopped liver . . . Although, I have been told that my non-vegan vegetarian chopped liver (made with lentils, hard boiled eggs, walnuts, string beans, peas, and sauteed onions tastes really close to the real thing.
Leora says
Yes, the eggs seem to make it closer to chopped liver. Maybe because they are both chickens?
Your tip on the sauteed onions was useful - it really does make a difference to saute them for a while. I did this with a chicken chulent, where the onions were the main flavor, and it worked well.
Jill says
I love this painting! I really appreciate a painting of something common and everyday because it somehow becomes very important. Do you know what I mean? Anyway, I think the stars on the bowl really make it special.
Leora says
Funny, the stars on the bowls match the stars that I use for avatars on this site. I guess I like stars on blue.
"a painting of something common and everyday because it somehow becomes very important"
How about rewording that to:
"a painting of the common inverts the common to the special"
Jill says
Exactly! Well put.
Daniel Saunders says
I like the painting.
Blue with gold stars was what the Sistene Chapel ceiling looked like before Michelangelo got to work.
Leora says
I googled that, and I found this on the Sistine Chapel:
"The original ceiling was covered in the traditional byzantine motif of a blue star field. It was later (to the present day) covered with nine scenes from the Old Testament."
My avatar is from the story of Joseph and the dream of the stars. I did the watercolor for Vayeshev for my eldest son's bar-mitzvah.
EG Wow says
Ha! I love it that you used your poetic/artistic license. :))
Yael says
You are the star!
Great watercolor and great post!
Anyway my favorite addition to any and all salads (ok almost all) is either avocado or cilantro. These do with every thing from greens, tomatoes, hearts of palm, or even zatar.
Leora says
Great choices for a salad!
Thanks for calling the painter of stars a star! I will wear the "badge" of stardom with honor.
Emily Suess says
There should be a real bowl like that! Perhaps if you get back to your pottery?
Leora says
I used to have a bowl like that, that I made in pottery. I called it my potato salad bowl. It was that shape, but it had no stars. Unfortunately, it broke about fifteen years ago. Sigh.
Ilana-Davita says
Having been busy and away since Wednesday (Antwerp and school) I had missed your lovely painting. When I saw the bowl I asked myself whether you owned it or whether you had created it. Thanks for adding a caption that informs us.
Leora says
And you didn't miss it, because here it is, and here you are with your sweet comment.
Carver says
You are very talented. That's a lovely watercolor.
Rayna Eliana says
What a delightful and delicious looking water color. I love the bowl, love the tones and the color blends. Beautiful.
Please leave a comment! I love to hear from you.