Ingredients:
- 1 head lettuce, bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 8 ounces fresh spinach, torn
- 2 medium red onions, sliced
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- 1 10-ounce package frozen peas, not cooked
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 pint Miracle Whip (mayo can be substituted)
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup crumbles crisp fried bacon
Directions: In a large bowl, mix together lettuce and celery. Layer all remaining ingredients over lettuce and celery in the order listed. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Toss together before serving. Yields 8 servings.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of making the salad, a Dayton area restaurant has offered the famous dish for nearly two decades.
Figlio, located in the former space of the Peasant Stock in Kettering’s Town & Country Shopping Center, serves the Peasant Salad. Owner Peter Danis, a Dayton native, says it’s the most popular salad at his Dayton location.
Danis and his wife, Laurie, first opened Figlio in Columbus in 1991. The couple opened the Dayton location in 2003, primarily stemming from Danis wanting to be closer to his late mother whose health was failing. His mother could no longer travel to Columbus, so he brought the wood fired pizza and pasta restaurant to her.
“For the first five to six years after we opened, anytime I was in the store, customers would ask, “When are you bringing back the Peasant Salad?,” Danis said.
At first, he laughed it off, but soon decided to ask Peasant Stock founder Dan Reinke to see if he could add the salad to his menu.
“The Peasant Salad, practically overnight, became the number one selling salad in our restaurant,” Danis said.
The salad, still a number one seller in Dayton, failed to catch on in Columbus.
“I think the Peasant Salad is a Dayton thing,” Danis said.
The Peasant Stock was founded in 1977 by Reinke and Don Walsh. In 1993, Peasant Stock Chef David Glynn purchased the restaurant. Twelve years later, the restaurant closed.
Food aside, Danis said one of his favorite memories of the Peasant Stock was the musician that played classical guitar at the restaurant.
“His music added such a touch of class to the dining experience,” Danis said.
He also hopes Figlio continues to create a warm, welcoming ambience that keeps guests coming back for many years to come.
Figlio is located at 424 E. Stroop Road in Kettering. For more information, visit www.figliopizza.com.
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