By The save-the-dates went out. One hundred and eighty envelopes, stamped, addressed, sealed with a sticker that Megan designed — a simple illustration of a pierogi and a four-leaf clover. Polish meets Irish. I said, "People are going to think we're opening a restaurant." She said, "People are going to think it's adorable." She was right. The responses started coming in immediately. Patrick texted me: "Nice dumpling." Tom called: "Got the card. Good." Kevin texted Megan: "Your fiancé is a nerd." All correct.
Labor Day weekend. Last hurrah of summer. Tom hosted the cookout. Brats, burgers, corn, the annual potato salad competition (I won again; Tom contests this; there is no neutral judge; the conflict will outlive us both). Megan brought Colleen's soda bread and a store-bought fruit salad, which is her maximum contribution to any potluck and we all accept this with love.
The conversation at the cookout was all wedding — seating charts, logistics, who's bringing what dish. Linda has appointed herself head of the pierogi assembly team and has recruited Tom, Colleen, Mrs. Wojcik, and three women from church. The production plan calls for five hundred dozen pierogi to be made over two days the week before the wedding. This is an industrial operation. This is pierogi at scale. Babcia would be impressed and also slightly concerned about quality control.
Megan goes back to school next week. New kids, new year. She's already setting up her classroom. She bought new bulletin board paper — "nautical theme," she said, which means anchors and boats and the word "anchor" used as a metaphor for stability approximately seven hundred times between now and June. Teachers love metaphors. Megan loves metaphors more than most teachers.
Between the potato salad showdown and Linda’s five-hundred-dozen pierogi production schedule, it’s clear that food in this family is never just food — it’s a statement. This Tri-Color Cauliflower Salad is the one I’d bring to tip the scales: it’s bright enough to stand out on a crowded Labor Day table, substantial enough to hold its own next to Tom’s brats, and honestly, the kind of colorful, shareable dish that looks like someone put in effort even when they mostly just chopped things. Megan would approve of the low-lift execution; I approve of winning.
Tri-Color Cauliflower Salad
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 20 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups white cauliflower florets, cut small
- 2 cups purple cauliflower florets, cut small
- 2 cups orange cauliflower florets, cut small
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- 1/3 cup pepperoncini slices
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the cauliflower. Cut all three colors of cauliflower into small, bite-sized florets and place them together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the vegetables. Add the red onion, celery, olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, and parsley to the bowl with the cauliflower. Toss gently to combine.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the cauliflower mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all the vegetables evenly.
- Chill before serving. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. Toss again just before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 90 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 280mg