Sanity these days requires exercise during these crazy, buttoned-up times.  Fortunately, walking along the country road on which we live is accessible, scenic and safe.  Barbara and I often go together during the walk, covering a mile or a little more on a nice day.  As we go downhill toward a small pond, we can often look across a neighbor’s field and see the willow trees as they become green this time of year.  It’s very peaceful.

We do get hungry after walking.  Leftovers are usually readily available, and they can be configured quickly into a good lunch.  On this day I made a simple dish of tuna conserva, cannellini beans cooked the day before, a little chopped leftover tomato, and chopped and pitted Gaeta olives.  What really makes a composed salad like this come together in an authentic Mediterranean way is the quality ingredients for dressing: premium Greek olive oil from Kalamata olives, a splash of good Portuguese red wine vinegar, a few pinches of sea salt from Ibiza, and a few cubes of Israeli Feta cheese from Trader Joe’s.

Two white wines were open and cold, so I had some of each: a Polvanera Minutolo from Puglia (imported by Jan D’Amore) and an Argyros Estate Bottled Assyrtiko from Santorini.  Having visited each of these wineries in previous years, I was delighted to have them at my table again.