My husband usually leaves town for the month of January.  At least, this is the third year in a row that he has done so.  I get stuff done  while he is gone (lesson plan and grant writing, puppet building, studio organizing).  My cat and I get really, really connected.   I also invite people over for dinner, because I really need to cook a lot of food in order to be a happy person and my cat and I can only eat so much.

On friday night, my friend and neighbor Emily came over for dinner.  We had a tomato soup taste off.   It one corner we had Tomato Cognac Soup garnished with celery leaves and served with My Mother’s Amazing Crab Dip and celery sticks.  It was a good combo…very 1950’s.  In the other corner, we had Quick Curried Tomato Soup garnished with cheese and scallions and served with this fabulous salad that Emily brought over.  She also styled these lovely photos!

GREEN SALAD WITH ASIAN PEAR, MINT AND ALMONDS

invented by Emily DeCola

•  1 head of Red leaf lettuce rinsed and dried
• 1 Asian Pear, sliced in to slivers
• Leaves from one small bunch of fresh mint
• A small handful of almonds toasted and chopped
• The juice of 1 lemon
• Some olive oil
• some capers
• 1/2 of a small onion (or 1 shallot) minced
• freshly ground black pepper