Tonight we went to a friend’s birthday party.  A keg of good beer, a smoky grill, a swing in the pear tree, little girls running everywhere.  After dark, there were birthday candles and fireworks.  This is the salad to bring to a party like that.It’s lively, spicy, crunchy, herbal, and a little sweet from all those carrots.  It nestles attractively into a grillside table laden with mac and cheese, corn, and roasted vegetables.  And it sandwiches nicely into a roll alongside all those other leftovers the next day.

It’s from The Herbal Kitchen cookbook, written by Jerry Traunfeld, whose restaurant Poppy is one of my Seattle favorites.  I advise you to try it when you visit.  You can make this salad anywhere, though–and you should.Spicy Cilantro Slaw with Cabbage and Carrots:  In a good-sized salad bowl, whisk the following well to combine: 1/4 c. each apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and mayonnaise, 2 Tbs. lime juice, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 2-3 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce.  Finely shred a pound of green cabbage and grate 4-5 carrots.  Coarsely chop a medium-sized bunch of cilantro.  Toss vegetables and cilantro with dressing and refrigerate for an hour before serving to allow the cabbage to soften and the flavors to blend.