You can take your baby spinach, and you may *Shove* it.

[Quadlex]

I'm sick to death of Baby spinach. It's the new 'in' thing. The Fondue of the 00's. A resturant meal isn't a resturant meal if you don't stick ruddy Baby Spinach on the plate.

Nothing is as boring, and unimaginative, and yet everywhere does it. Often paired with that other salad leaf deserving of contempt-by-overuse, Rocket. they're soooo cliche and boring.

And Coriander. Coriander is a small, green herb that tastes like grass. Boring grass. And yet, every dish must be 'blessed' with it's presence. All hail the mighty green trio, Coriander, Rocket, and Baby Spinach. Hallejuleh for homogenous sides!

...rant over:P

 

[Katie H]

Poor, Quad. I'll bet you yearn for a perfectly done Caesar salad. I don't blame you, but I like greens of any kind.

I do like a salad of tender greens, blood oranges and goat cheese. Add some toasted walnuts and you've got some good eatin'. A drizzle of a good homemade vinaigrette and you're home free.

Viva veggies!

 

[kitchenelf]

Well, about 20 years ago baby spinach AND rocket were in salads so I don't think it's the new "in" thing. They are extremely good for you and have a nice flavor. Is mache also out? Coriander has a wonderful flavor. I do remember when I was in my early 20's fresh herbs did have a "grassy" taste - I don't think my palate was fully developed yet and it wasn't until my late 20's that I fully appreciated fresh herbs and could distinguish their distinctive, individual, ACTUAL flavors.

What do you prefer in a salad?

 

[TATTRAT]

the "NEW" in thing, hmmm...I guess it does take a while to catch on down under


As for coriander, it is the seeds of the cilantro plant, and it does taste like grass. But in a lot of Thai/Asian/Mexican cuisine, it would not be the same without it.

 

[lulu]

In UK and Australaisia cxoriander is the plant not just the seeds Tatt

It depends, if you are talking about garnishes I sympathise and almost agree. I always feel a bit uncomfortable with the garnishes that are half garnish half a serving of salad. When the garnish is bigger than the "dish" I get a bit edgy...I often order salad and I like it, but I feel reassured when what I have ordered to start with is actually that....the odd pretty leaf I don't mind, but in balance please!

But all three of your pet hates are my favourite salads! Corriander leaves with diced toms and cucumber and a little feta and evoo, rocket rocket rocket, any time please, and I will always smile at a bowl of beautiful baby spinach leaves ever so lightly dressed and a few crunchy lardons sprinkled over. That is my kind of tv supper!

 

[Candocook]

No problem here for all those. And as for mache, would that I could find it! DH grew some for me, but it is so tiny and grows SO slowly, it was a hopeless cause. We had a salad in Paris that LIVES in my memory--roasted diced beets surrounding a perfect bed of brilliant green mache, served with a walnut vinaigrette. LUCious!!

 

[college_cook]

I can't say that I mind the baby spinach at all, and really don't think it's overdone here in america, but I can't speak for australia. In fact, we have completely removed spinach of any kind from our restaurant menu about 5-6 months ago. We served a baby spinach salad that I thought was excellent, even if it wasn't flashy. We served it with goat cheese and marinated onions. It has since been replaced by a salad of Belgian Endive and Watercress, which is more popular.

Also, I'm not familiar with rocket, mache, or coriander in leaf form, only the seed form. These are all just various types of greens? I'm not a huge salad eater; perhaps that is why I'm unfamiliar with these various.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I love them all, & use them often. Good & good for you.

 

[Robo410]

well I agree that a thing catches on and every place it seems copies it. But vegies need to complement the dish. for example: baby spinach may well go nicely with grilled salmon in a ginger soy garlic glaze. However, grill a duck breast, please don't waste baby spinach there. It would be tasteless. How about earthy swiss chard sauteed with garlic for that duck? How about some sauteed kale or brocoli rabe with that pasta and sausage sauce?

I get tired here of seeing grilled yellow and green squash with everything. How about butternut or acorn with nutmeg and chilis? That would be beautiful with turkey breast!

I also think part of the problem is the customer...not always adventurous, not willing to try something new and different. The restaraunt guy's got to make money.

 

[jennyema]

I haven't seen baby spinach on a plate in years.

And neither have I seen cilantro as a garnish unless it was cuisine-appropriate.

If ever arugula is used as a garnish, it'd be the first thing I eat.

Am lucky that I can buy big bags of mache at my local produce market.

 

[auntdot]

I get sick and tired of 'fad' foods also.

But right now we have a whole lot of white global warming sticking to our roads and the house is bone chilling cold.

The idea of a salad of delicate greens with a subtle dressing that would include a trace, just a tad, of a nice balsamic vinegar dressing is more than I can imagine.

So as I am getting ready to bundle myself up to go out and salt our long driveway I will keep that mache and rocket salad in mind (and long for some fiddlehead ferns if I can find them, usually here we cannot).

With the fervent hope and prayer that Spring is on the way.

 

[LEFSElover]

another one in favor of the fad/"bad" 3.
made the best salad twice over the last couple of weeks.
spinach with tons of other stuff in there.
cilantro, our DD hates the stuff, mostly says it tastes like soap which is a very common assessment around these parts. I myself love the stuff.
and even grow it but it has the shortest growing season ever.
rocket or arugula I also adore, spicy and pepper taste to me.

in my way of thinking, the newest buzz word in the cooking world that I've noticed is fennel. I can't stand the stuff and can not believe how many people use it in their recipes. ick...............