The Train of thought…

(leaves the station…)  On my way to the store today this weird train…some kind of stone grinding affair…went by

and as I waited, I decided to make the spinach salad from the Arbor Cafe for dinner tomorrow…the one with the brandy-brown sugar dressing (currently available at Word of Mouth for Salemites…). In a former life, from 1991 to 2004, I co-owned a restaurant called the Arbor Cafe with my business partner Lynne Strelow, who made the yummy dressing.  In searching for the recipe I came across a sheet of possible designs for a label for bulk coffee we sold, that looked like this

Here’s the recipe for the dressing:

1 TBSP brandy

3 TBSP firmly packed brown sugar

2 1/2 TBSP molasses

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

3/4 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. olive oil

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a processor and process until well mixed.  Mix the oils and add slowly to the processor.  Keeps well refrigerated (and goes a long way…)

Serve on spinach with red onion, mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, crumbled gorgonzola.  Yum.

…And when I got home from the store I noted that winter vegetabls are a FAR cry from our lovely CSA box from June to November…

and now that the train has dumped me home, I’m on to the lamb soup!