Salad Dressing of the Week

I love vegetables. AND fruits, do not be mistaken, but from my days working on Anya's organic farm, I'm pretty much obsessed with fresh produce. Not to sound like I'm talking down from my foodie pedestal, but I am a man who would rather go without tomatoes than buy some woody, mealy piece of shit from the supermarket. But give me a homegrown tomato, like the two beauties that Anya presented me with as I left the Cape on Sunday, and I'm a very happy chappy.

All this to say: I had a great lunch. One of the delicious, beautiful beefsteak tomatoes that Anya regaled me with adorned the salad I had brought in, and what added so much was slathering it with Annie's Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette. This salad dressing, while competing in a class full of champions (Ken's, Marie's, Hidden Valley Ranch [ha!]), really just does such a good job of reminding me that I FUCKING LOVE LETTUCE.

First of all, it has a delightful amount of chunks, a great burnt-sienna hue, and is viscous in a way that is most becoming to salad out of a bag. Those of you who know me already am aware that tang and moisture are very important in any foodstuff, and Annie's does not let me down on either account. I highly recommend you branch out from just buying her awesome Mac n Cheese and try Annie's dressing. Besides, she's from the great state of Vermont, which makes some of my favorite cheese.

Hot Chow!

A most recent discovery in my epicurean pursuits of summer, HOT CHOW is one of my favorite new condiments. Imagine a chunky mustard, tangy and not too sweet, filled with morsels of carrot and onion. No, not like a chutney, as the mustard and vinegar tastes keep it wholly within the mustard category. The secret ingredients, friends, is the mango and papaya that adds some juiciness often looked for but not often found in mustard, unless you've slathered on the French's a little too thick. That's probably my favorite thing about Hot Chow; it adds an elusive moisture to your sandwich you might only get by, well, overdoing it with some acidic yellow mustard or (sick!) mayo . But slather on the Hot Chow, its delicious!

I recommend Matouk's brand, coming to us from Trinidad, and available all over Crown Heights and other Caribbean areas of New York.

Shown: Matouk's Hot Chow, 9 oz. $3.99 for the 13.4 fl. oz. jar at the produce market on Nostrand and Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights. Available in Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, and other Caribbean businesses and hoods in NY. I bet they have it at the West Indian Market on Broadway and Winona in Andersonville, Chicago. And John R Wong in Kingston must have it.

Ingredients: Water, distilled vinegar, papaya, carrots, onions, mangoes, sugar, coraillie, mustard, modified corn starch, salt, hot peppers, spices, colour FD&C yellow #5. Anyone know what coraillie is? Bitter melon?

Tastes like: Chunky tropical mustard. Use it on that turkey sandwich, you'll love it.

Notes: Caroline, you're gonna love this. Go get some and let me know!