Frozen Waldorf Salad -- The Night David Told Us About Isla

Christmas through New Year's. David and James in the guest room. Sofía spent two nights with us. Eduardo took two days off work. The house held five adults and a slow rotation of grandchildren coming and going.

Christmas Day quiet. Coffee. Pernil sandwiches. The news. A movie. A nap. A walk in the cold around the block. Eduardo, David, James, and I bundled in coats and hats walked four blocks while Sofía slept on the couch. James said as we walked, "Carmen, this is the most Christmas Day I have ever had." I said, "James, what is the most Christmas Day?" He said, "Carmen, my family is small. My parents and one uncle. I have never been in a house this loud." I said, "James, the loudness is the love." He said, "Yes. I see that now." Eduardo nodded. David put his arm around James and they kept walking.

Sunday David made dinner. He made his deconstructed mofongo — a small portion of mofongo at the bottom of a wide bowl, topped with shrimp in a tomato sauce, garnished with cilantro and lime. It was excellent. I told him so. I said, "Mijo, this is excellent." He said, "Ma, close." I said, "Mijo, no. Excellent. The shrimp is perfectly cooked. The mofongo is the right consistency. The sauce balances." He smiled. He said, "Ma, I will take it." James said, "Carmen, this is on the menu at Isla." David said, "James, do not — " I said, "Mijo, what is Isla?" David said, "Ma, the new restaurant. It is going to be Isla. I have not announced it. I am announcing it now. James and I have been working on it for six months. We have a space. We have investors. We have a chef who will be my partner. I will leave the Fort Greene job in 2027. The build-out will start in 2026." I said, "Mijo, you have not told me." He said, "Ma, I am telling you now." I said, "Mijo, it is your own restaurant?" He said, "Ma, my own restaurant. Modern Puerto Rican. In Bushwick." I cried. I said, "Mijo." Eduardo said, "Mijo, that is wonderful." James said, "I designed the logo." I said, "James, show me." He showed me on his phone. The logo was an island silhouette, the shape of Puerto Rico, with a small sun above it. I cried again.

New Year's Eve we ate lentils and grapes at midnight. Sofía called from her shift. Mami stayed home and slept. The year ended. The year was ending. Wepa.

That week between Christmas and New Year’s gave us so much — James discovering the loudness of our love, David’s mofongo earning its own table in Bushwick, lentils and grapes at midnight. When I go back through what I made that week alongside David’s cooking, I keep returning to this Frozen Waldorf Salad, a recipe I have made for holiday gatherings for years, cool and sweet and something my mother’s generation would recognize. I made it the afternoon before David announced Isla, before I cried twice, before Eduardo said “Mijo, that is wonderful” — and somehow a dish that belongs to the past felt exactly right for a table that was, without us knowing it yet, celebrating the future.

Frozen Waldorf Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes (including freeze time) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1 cup green grapes, halved
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks
• Lettuce leaves, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Drain pineapple. Drain the crushed pineapple well, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
2. Make the cream base. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Add the mayonnaise and beat until fully incorporated.
3. Fold in fruit and nuts. Gently stir the drained pineapple, red and green grapes, diced apples, celery, and walnuts into the cream cheese mixture until evenly combined.
4. Fold in whipped cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the fruit mixture, taking care not to deflate it. Work in two additions for a lighter result.
5. Transfer to pan. Pour and spread the mixture evenly into a 9x13-inch baking dish or a decorative mold. Smooth the top.
6. Freeze. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm throughout.
7. Serve. Remove from the freezer 10–15 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Cut into squares or scoop into portions and serve on lettuce leaves if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 140mg