Pickled Coleslaw

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Jim Lantry of San Diego, California for sharing this true
food funny with us:

I was dining at a beachside seafood restaurant in San Diego which
has mercifully long since gone out of business. After several iced
teas (or probably more likely it was too many cervezas - oh to be
young again on a summer day by the beach!) I journeyed to the
back of the restaurant only to be confronted with a choice of
"Clams" and "Oysters." Being a man and therefore incapable of
asking for directions, I stood there debating the issue for a minute
and thought that perhaps the "Oyster" bathroom might be for
women because oysters give pearls, but not wanting to suffer the
embarrassment of venturing into the wrong room, I waited for someone
to come out so I would know which room to use. No luck, and
while I was waiting three other people came up who, faced with
the same daunting task, simply turned away and returned to their
seats. Finally, unable to resist nature's increasingly desperate
urging, I left the restaurant and used the bathroom at the gas station
next door. On the way I passed one of the diners who had turned
away while I waited. We nodded silently to each other in
acknowledgement of our mutual confusion. To this day, I don't
know which bathroom was the right one.

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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If you ask me, most of the coleslaws served in restaurants are too
gloppy with mayonnaise, and many are so sweet they should be
served as a dessert. This traditional New England side dish avoids
both those failings.

Pickled Coleslaw

1 small head red or green cabbage, cored and shredded
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped

For the dressing:
1/4 cup (60 ml) cider vinegar
2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
2 tsp (10 ml) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the cabbage, bell pepper, and onion in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and sugar. Add the oil in a
thin stream, whisking constantly to make a smooth emulsion.
Season with salt and pepper and pour over the cabbage mixture.
Toss to mix thoroughly and store covered in the refrigerator for at
least 1 hour, or up to 6 hours before serving. Serves 8 to 12.
Received on Wed Jan 25 08:45:07 2006