Moab, Utah is a stuck-in-the-sixties kinda town, in the middle of the boonies, with only about 7,000 residents. Nonetheless, the local supermarket (City Market) constantly amazes me with its vast selection of sophisticated foodstuffs. (I'm guessing that one reason for the impressive selection is the demand from the hordes of European travelers that visit this place, home of Arches National Park.)
This week at City Market I discovered a brand of boxed salad greens that knocked my socks off. Epic Roots' Mache Mix Salade Europeen is a blend of mache, radicchio and frisee. There's a hint of nutty flavor, a hint of spice. But it's the salad's texture that is extraordinary. Crispy, lacy, tongue-tickling...every piece tastes like it was just snatched from a garden and rinsed with ice water.
The company also recently introduced two new varieties: Salade Verte, which is said to be sweet and spicy; and Red Romance, which features four different lettuces in shades of red. (The market in Moab is not sophisticated to have just-released items in stock.)
For best results, toss the greens with a light vinaigrette. Heavy mayo-and sour cream-based dressings will cover up the tantalizing textures. Other recipes are available on the Epic Roots Web site.
You can also dress up the salad with a bit of Mt. Vikos Fetiri cheese. This new addition to the popular Mt. Vikos line is firm and creamy, with a pleasing tang. The sheep-goats milk cheese, imported from Greece, comes in two flavors: Greek Herbs, which is a winning combo of wild oregano and sweet mint; and Cracked Pepper, which features black, green and red peppercorns.
It's available in many supermarkets and also at Igourmet.com and 1800gourmet.com.
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