'Chuga!

It started with our visit to Spain last summer. Elisa fell in love with her abuela's salads and who can blame her? They are crisp and fresh and oh so tangy. The homemade vinaigrette is always just right. She mostly ate smaller bites of lettuce, or lechuga, with a few cucumbers mixed in for good measure. And at first I was surprised she no longer gagged on the slippery pieces. But she liked it so much, she really took her time to chew them and savor the crunchy texture.

So fast forward to the dead of winter and what does Elisa request for dinner last night but "CHUGA!" as she shouts and twirls around the kitchen. Luckily, I had some romaine leaves tucked into the crisper and so within minutes, out came a most basic of salads. Lettuce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt. Done. And boy was she pleased. Little does she realize, in less than 24 hours we'll be on a plane to Madrid to visit the family for a week. I bet she'll be happy to have the real thing once we get there (and so will I!).