Keep it fresh! Good salads are only made with good ingredients and freshness is all-important when it comes to purchasing salad greens. Let your eyes guide you. Fresh greens look fresh. They won't have any leaves tinged with brown nor will they be wilted or slimy. Take a look around the produce section and you'll see leaves in many colors and textures ranging from pearly, pale Belgian endive to bright red and white radicchio. Greens also have a variety of flavors from robust and peppery arugula to sweet, nutty and mild lamb's lettuce or mache. 

I arrived back in Austria, from Oregon, where I met up with Franco. He’d taken good care of the car and enjoyed his Austrian vacation. Now it was time to get back to work. I deferred to Franco for a suggestion. Where should we go next? His answer was Hungary. Without hesitation I agreed and off we went. The plan was to explore the regions of Eger and Tokaji. There are others regions in Hungary; very good regions. However, the two regions that we were going to explore export wine in significant volume to the US, including the Lowcountry.

Friday night is Steak Night at our house. We love to invite our closest friends over for a casual evening and then fire up the grill! A juicy rib-eye steak served with mashed potatoes and a fresh green salad is a delicious way to start the weekend!  When you’re in the mood for something a notch above your usual steak and baked potato, whip up these delicious and simple steak marinade and mashed potatoes recipes. The tasty marinade comes together in no time and flavors the meat beautifully without overshadowing it. The steaks can be grilled inside or out, or can be quickly seared to medium with a mere two or three minutes per side under the broiler.  Add a classic lettuce wedge salad,  dressed-up crescent rolls and grilled fresh South Carolina peaches to complete your meal. Enjoy!