Many years ago, I went on a fabulous, week-long canoe trip to the boundary waters.  Nothing went wrong on the entire trip.  We had good weather, there were no bugs, no one got hurt, we didn’t run out of food,  the lakes were stunningly beautiful  On our way back to Minneapolis, we stopped at the first restaurant that we passed on the side of the road.  Despite the remote location this restaurant was totally gourmet….a fitting end to the entire idyllic adventure.  I ate little sandwiches on pecan raisin bread, filled with tart apples, manchego cheese, local smoked trout and arugula.  It wasn’t just that real food tastes good after a week of camping food…this was a very good combination.  I don’t really eat sandwiches any more so this combination was translated into a salad.  I pack salads for my lunches and this is probably my favourite.  After 10 years of eating this salad at least once a week I finally did get sick of it but I made it for the first time again after a years hiatus when the first good apples came back into the grocery stores this spring and it was delicious.

THE SALAD

• washed arugula or baby spinach
• manchego cheese
• smoked trout
• thinly sliced tart apples (I like Honeycrisp, Crispin or Pink Ladies for salad)
• pecans

• raspberry or balsamic vinegar
• maple syrup
• olive oil
• salt and pepper