Thread by @ehashdn

Would anyone like a short thread on "why your takeout salad tastes like ass but it was so good at the restaurant" ?

Okay here we go @reconbot. You have likely committed one of two salad sins:
1. Didn't season it
2. Messed up the distribution of ingredients

SEASONING: in their raw form, vegetables taste bitter. The reason veggies taste so good at a restaurant is salt (and possibly a lot of butter).

Salt blocks the bitter receptors on your tongue! 😋

Takeout salad doesn't come with any salt mixed in because it will wilt leaves and make them limp.

Thus, I always give salad at least a couple salt grinds before tossing it (+ pepper as applicable).

DISTRIBUTION: when you pour dressing out of a little container, especially thicker ones, it ends up in globs. You get a bunch of pieces with too much dressing and a bunch with none. Various bits all sink to the bottom and aren't evenly distributed.

Of course, salads don't come pre-dressed because again, dressing contains salt, and salt will wilt the salad. If there's anything crispy (croutons), it will also make those soggy.

To solve this, you need to properly toss the salad. I usually use a big (no, bigger. Really) stainless steel bowl. Often takeout containers aren't large enough!!

Mix until every single piece of greens is thoroughly and evenly coated. And voila! Restaurant quality salad!

Now go eat your veggies!!! >:(

"Where did you learn all this"

- watched the cooking channel too much as a small child
- in the before times, I always tried to sit at the chef's counter so I could watch the kitchen staff and pick up new techniques
- desire to eat out less = upped game at home