Salad...old faithful friend!

Salad is a congregation of various foods, that may or may not contain leafy vegetables, usually served chilled or at a moderate temperature. Many people use the word "salad" to describe light, savory leafy vegetable dishes, most often served with a sauce or dressing, but the term may also refer to dishes made of ingredients such as fruits, grains, meats, seafood and sweets. Though many salads use raw ingredients, some use cooked ingredients; most salads use vegetables, though fruit salads also exist.

The word "salad" comes from the French salade of the same meaning, from the Latin salata (salty), from sal (salt). In English, the word first appears as "salad" or "sallet" in the 14th century.

The Romans and ancient Greeks ate mixed greens with dressing. In his 1699 book, Acetaria: A Discourse on Sallets, John Evelyn attempted with little success to encourage his fellow Britons to eat fresh salad greens. Mary, Queen of Sctos, ate boiled celery root over greens covered with creamy mustard dressing, truffles, chevril, and slices of hard-boiled eggs.

The United States popularized mixed greens salads in the late 19th century; other regions of the world adopted them throughout the second half of the 20th century. From Europe and the Americas to China, Japan, and Australia, salads are sold in supermarkets, at restaurants and at fast food chains. In the US market, restaurants will often have a "Salad Bar" laid out with salad-making ingredients, which the customers will use to put together their salad.

Salads may be served at any point during a meal, such as:

• Appetizer salads, light salads to stimulate the appetite as the first course of the meal.
• Side salads, to accompany the main course as a side dish.
• Main Course salads, usually containing a portion of heartier fare, such as chicken breast or slices of beef.
• Palate-cleansing salads, to settle the stomach after the main course.
• Dessert salads, sweet versions often containing fruit, gelatin and/or whipped cream.

Salads on offer at Red Tie Cafe:

http://redtiecateringjhb.wozaonline.co.za/Menu

http://www.zomato.com/johannesburg/restaurants?q=red+tie+cafe