Keep it Classy

Some things forever stand the test of time:

Chanel No. 5.

Beethoven’s “Pathetique Sonata.”

Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

“The Godfather.”

Anything by Hemingway or Fitzgerald.

A really good Gucci bag.

They were great when they were brought to us, no matter how many years ago. And, they most likely will still be amazing 100 years from today.

Classic, if you will.

Food can be classic, too.

Take Spinach Salad.

There’s not a ton of deets on how the Spinach Salad came to be, but according to some research by food nerd extraordinaire Alton Brown, Spinach Salad originated in Pennsylvania Dutch territory back in the 19th century. When German settlers found their way to the Keystone State, they brought with them a salad made of dandelion greens, bacon drippings and eggs. Since dandelion is kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of salad greens, spinach was soon the greenery of choice. (Although, I might add that dandelion is enjoyed in my parts of Jersey, and also in Pa. There are even dandelion festivals and schtuff in nearby Vineland.)

Anyway, you may ask, well what about the shrooms that are pretty much standard in spinach salad?

Have you been to the Dutch Country? It’s totally the land of shrooms. Pennsylvania grows a ton of mushrooms, so or course, they threw in a few for the mac daddy Spinach Salad of today.

When my Mom would rock out a Spinach Salad, I remember thinking, “Aw, hell yeah.”

OK. Maybe I didn’t think those exact words at age 7 or 8, but I was pretty much very happy.

Spinach Salad is total yum yum.

It works as a main course salad, in my opinion.

And, I have a feeling it will never go out of style.

Classic Spinach Salad
(Makes four servings)

1 10-ounch bag of spinach, washed and dried
4-5 strips of good bacon, chopped
½ red onion, chopped
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. sugar
8 white mushrooms, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced

In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. About 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon remove bacon pieces to a paper-towel lined plate.

You should have about 3 Tbsp. bacon drippings in your pan. Return pan to medium heat. Add onion. Saute for about 4 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and stir. Sugar should dissolve. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, place spinach and mushrooms. Pour warm dressing over spinach mixture. Toss.

Distribute among plates. Top with bacon and hard-boiled egg.