Strawberry Spinach Salad in Penobscot Valley Maine

This one comes together in about ten minutes and tastes like a Maine June afternoon. It's the kind of salad that actually gets eaten — not pushed to the side of the plate.

Start with a good handful of fresh baby spinach per person. Slice a cup of fresh strawberries and scatter them over the top. Add a handful of candied pecans or walnuts, a few thin slices of red onion if you like a little bite, and some crumbled feta or goat cheese. The goat cheese from the Bangor Farmers Market is worth seeking out if you haven't tried it yet.

For the dressing, whisk together three tablespoons of olive oil, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of poppy seeds, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of dry mustard. Taste it and adjust — some people want it a little sweeter, some want more tang. Pour it over the salad just before you serve it.

That's it. Pick up your strawberries this Sunday at Abbott Square and you've got lunch or a side dish that's ready before the market bag hits the counter.