Berry Basil Salad

Summer months I start dreaming up a plan for a garden in our backyard.  “Dreaming” is the key word here.  In my mind I’ll mosey out to the yard and pluck fresh tomatoes from the vine, snap some peas for a soup or clip some herbs for a salad.  Starting out we have grand plans for our little veggie patch, visions of something that looks like this:

Inevitably, without fail two weeks later our potted plants look like this.  This sad plant used to be rosemary? Thyme?  Tough to tell now… It even looks like it’s making a sad face.

By some miracle our basil has not only survived, but has flourished on our front steps.  Maybe our neighbor has been watering it?  So I have been using our basil in everything.  Especially salads.  If you have not tried throwing some basil in your salad, well I suggest you stop depriving yourself and add some right away.

Sooo…quick trip to the Charlotte Farmers Market to pick up the other ingredients.  Ben has to sample everything twice.

And then home to throw the salad together.

Laura has to sample everything too.

One of the keys to making this salad special is to add really amazing goat cheese.  If you live around Charlotte then you have to try Bosky Acres cheese.  Bosky Acres is a family owned farm just outside of Waxhaw near Charlotte.  You can find their cheeses at several farmers markets around Charlotte, as well as Earthfare and Dean & Deluca.  Y’all check out their website if you want more info.  Without further adieu, here is the recipe for Berry Basil Salad:

Berry Basil Salad

• about 6 loosely packed cups of spinach
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1/2 cup of blackberries
• 1/3 cup of walnuts
• 5-8 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• goat cheese

Champagne honey vinegrette

• 1/4 cup of good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Place the spinach, blueberries, blackberries, walnuts, and basil in a large salad bowl.  Sprinkle with as much goat cheese as your heart desires.  In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, champagne vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper.  Drizzle the dressing over salad.  Grab your glass of white wine and enjoy your delicious lunch.