Riding the Red Tractor

One of the many lovely places to eat along College Avenue, in Oakland, is the Red Tractor Cafe.

A very old-fashioned feel about the place; their menu was what I'd expect a farmer's wife, circa 1930, would have served...which means there was very little on the menu I could eat!

But the Red Tractor has great atmosphere, and serve breakfast foods, so I was usually safe.

Sometimes, I'd order a side of the garlic mashed potatoes...simply because they were that good!
And I don't think I've had a better cheddar biscuit anywhere else.

But something I'd often get there was a green apple, candied walnut and bleu cheese salad.

Fantastic!

Big, leafy salad, chunks of bright green apple, a flavorful cheese, and candied nuts scattered all over.

So, in my effort to keep the kitchen under 75 degrees this week, I recreated the Red Tractor Cafe's salad, as best I could.



Mixed greens, green apple, cubed Gorgonzola, and candied pecans...pecan halves coated in a sugar and balsamic vinegar syrup, then baked ten minutes. Fantastic! They're practically candy.
A nice, light dressing of lemon juice, mustard, shallot, fresh thyme and olive oil drizzled on top.

Add some grilled mustard chicken, and a cheddar biscuit (!), and you have a very nice, homey, meal. (Griddle pan for the chicken, which didn't take long, and the biscuits cooked in under fifteen minutes)