Receta Winter Cabbage Salad; proper way to buy firewood
Lettuce season is long past.
But we still, occasionally, want salad.
Fortunately, it’s the start of Savoy cabbage season.
Savoy, or green cabbage, which is the common type here, is much more tender than the white cabbage that is common in the US. And, while it isn’t good for coleslaw, it’s great for winter salads
Winter Cabbage Salad
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4oz (120gr) Savoy or green cabbage, chopped about 1/3 head
- 1/3 cup walnuts about 12
- 1/3 cup Greek or Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 2oz (60gr) feta, crumbled
- 2 slices dry-cured ham, torn into pieces
- 2 tsp cooking olive oil
- 2 tbs salad olive oil
- 2 tbs sherry vinegar
Instructions:
Heat cooking olive oil a medium skillet.
Add ham and sauté until crisp. Remove and set aside.
Add cabbage and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes.
Add walnuts and sauté 2 minutes longer.
Remove from heat, add vinegar and salad olive oil. Stir well to combine.
Add feta, olives, stir gently and immediately put on 2 plates.
Top with crisp ham and serve.
We’ve been a little late getting our firewood this year.
We have enough for the winter, all cut and tucked snugly into the barn, but we always buy another year’s worth so it has time to dry.
But, the guy we bought it from last year quit and we haven’t found anyone new. It’s one of those ‘word of mouth’ things. You have to ‘know’ someone.
We don’t know anyone.
The other way to find it is to look for it. If there is a lot of wood stacked somewhere, stop and ask if it’s for sale.
Yesterday we did that. No one was home, of course (that would be too easy) so we left a note with our phone number.
He called last night.
I may have mentioned a few times how challenging it is to talk on the phone. I’m getting better. When I make the call, and know what I’m talking about, I do fairly well…. As long as the conversation is short and to the point.
This nice man called, said that he had found the note and asked how much wood we wanted.
So far, so good.
Then he started chatting. I explained that my French wasn’t very good. He laughed and kept talking.
He talked about the old guy who owned the house before us and the farm and the neighbors and, and, and…..
I explained again that my French wasn’t very good.
He laughed again.
Finally, (I think) we reached an agreement, discussed price and delivery times.
He said 9:00 this morning.
We got up early to get ready.
He showed up at 9:00…. without the firewood.
He was a sweet old man in an equally old car…. Apparently, firewood is an ‘old farmer’ thing in these parts. Maybe it’s what they do when they turn the farm over to the next generation..
Anyway, apparently he wanted to come over, meet us, find out where it would be delivered, make sure we understood each other and let us know he wanted to be paid in cash.
(I think that last bit was the most important.)
Things take longer here, have to be done with a certain amount of protocol, and involve more discussion.
Even buying firewood.
I mean, he wouldn’t want to sell his firewood to just anyone now would he?
So…. I believe we are deemed acceptable, we have the cash and he’s going to bring the wood.
Sometime.
I hope.
Last update on November 19, 2014