Marinated Beet Salad #FoodieReads

I am sharing this after reading The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel.

On the Page

I don't know how this book ended up on my to-read pile, but I finally dug in. Revenge, romance, family. This novel has it all. And, by all, I mean a slow descent into the ridiculous. The characters were interesting in the beginning, and the book is ultimately a commentary on what makes a family; but I started skimming as Melinda's thirst for ruining her ex-husband's life grew more and more silly. She sends a stripper to a work meeting, cancels the manny's contract who is scheduled to start taking care of Horatio (her ex-husband and his new lover's baby), and so much more.

Also in the case of characters is a ceramic artist, Lauren, who is married to Leo with three kids. They live in his deceased mother's Greenwich Village brownstone above the eponymous bar, The Sweet Spot, that is owned by Dan. Dan''s daughter Lauren gets fired after mistreating a rude customer who happens to be Melinda. And there the worlds collide.

As silly as it was, I will say: I did finish it. but I don't think I'll be reading anything else by the author.

There was plenty of food on the pages though...

"On the way home from school, an argument ensued over what to cook for dinner. Harrell wanted pancakes, Charles wanted roast chicken, and Waverly wanted macaroni and cheese. There seemed to be no meal on earth that could meet her mother’s exacting expectations, her children’s picky demands, and Leo’s newfound commitment to a predominately plant-based diet. At Gristedes, they finally settled on spaghetti, again, and meatless meatballs. She hoped her mother wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between ground beef and pea protein."

"Olivia took a bite of her macaroni and cheese. She closed her eyes. It was classic comfort food, warm crunchy bread crumbs on top, cheesy and decadent underneath,"

"Later that night—after eating a dinner that included pâté and sole and crème brûlée and cognac, and after being told by Phillip and Evelyn that she’d been way too hasty ending her relationship—Olivia rolled over and settled into the crook of Todd’s arm. 'Let’s not even talk about what this means,' she said. 'Let’s just enjoy being together'."

But what got me thinking and headed into the salad was this passage:

...get me the marinated beet salad and one of those little bread things I like. Then pick up coffee before you come back so it’s still hot.

I had just gotten some beets and oranges in my weekly veggie delivery box. Serendipity! This may not be a marinated beet salad per se, but it is delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 pound organic, raw beets

• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and shaved

• 2 organic oranges, supremed

• 1 minced shallot

• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar

• chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley and a little bit of lavender) + more for garnish

Procedure

Peel and grate the beets. Place them in a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sherry vinegar, ground mustard, and fresh herbs.

To serve layer shaved fennel and supremed oranges on a plate. Spoon the beet salad on top of the oranges. Garnish with another sprig of fresh herbs.

I am adding this to the May #FoodieReads link-up.