Of all the foods to stab me in the back, I’d never have suspected Caesar salad.

Caesar salad is very dear to my heart. I credit it as being the very first salad that taught me salads can not only be a healthy side dish alternative, but also quite a lovely, filling meal on their own when you’re in the mood to fill a bowl with a portion of garden goods doused with enough dressing to make you forget you’re eating leaves. I’m not sure what it was about Caesar that captured my attention in a way that those boring house salads never did. Maybe it’s the minimalism of it. Maybe I just like the fact that romaine lettuce isn’t shredded carrots or purple cabbage. Maybe I just live for that last crouton you find at the bottom of the salad bowl, drowning in dressing and spackled with Parmesan cheese crumbs.