First published 1 June 2023, we've updated it Spring 2024 changing the oil, lettuce, cheese, and how we treat the pecans.

Inspiration

Now that cherries are in season, we're sharing a salad inspired by one we enjoyed while living in Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley, home of Harry & David's Royal Riviera® Pears and internationally lauded Rogue River Blue Cheese from Rogue Creamery®. Typically accompanied by walnuts and a vinaigrette, this "Rogue Salad" is terrific as a large dinner salad or as a side dish.

Celebrating Cherry Season

We've put together a similar combination of greens, fresh fruit, and nuts, however, this time highlighting fresh cherries along with appropriate pairings.

Lucero Ascolano Extra Virgin Olive Oil, popular for its fruity aroma and flavor.
Our Amarena Cherry Balsamic Vinegar highlights one of the darlings of the cherry world. The Amarena variety is prized for its dark cherry aroma and flavor. It is complex with sensations of cedar, roses, almonds and spices.

Green salad using spring mesclun lettuce, blue jack cheese, cherries and pecans

Green salad using romaine, pecans, blue jack cheese and fresh cherries

For 2024 we updated the salad greens to butter lettuce, and used the restaurant technique to core, wash, and dry the lettuce so the shape stays intact, then dip the entire front to apply the vinaigrette. The blue cheese this time is a gorgonzola with a satisfying crumble, and the pecans have been lightly candied.

Donald dips an entire head of butter lettuce into a large bowl coated with vinaigrette

Read on for more, and please enjoy!

Liz & Donald

PS: A special note to all of our readers who are "grazers"--we see you!

Donald and I ate quite a few "lettuce roll ups" standing in the kitchen during our practice and photography sessions. A cherry half, pecan half, and sliver of cheese wrapped in a single leaf with a drizzle of vinaigrette popped into your mouth is immensely satisfying.

Recipes