European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Fit lids for Sunn bring out the Best in fruits and by Diane Stoneback the Allentown morning Call though salads can be made without a minutes Worth of cooking there is much More to them than randomly tossing ingredients into a bowl according to Sharon Claessens. Claessens is at work on her sixth Book. As she pinched Basil leaves from their stems filling the air with a pungent Aroma something like a Cross Between Licorie and cloves Claessens noted Quot when i was growing up in my Pennsylvania dutch family hot Bacon dressing on iceberg lettuce was about As creative As we ,. A a. A key to getting the most taste from a salad is making sure the greens Are dry when they Are tossed with the a dressing. Quot dressing on wet lettuce slides right off the leaves and winds up in the Bottom of the salad bowl Quot she said v a. A a a a a. The most thorough and efficient Way to dry those leaves after they have been washed is by using a salad spinner which Quot spin dries Quot lettuce in much the same Way a washing machine spin dries clothes. On the subject of fruit salads she commented Quot the biggest mistake people make is cutting up the fruits in bits that Are too Small. They can wind up looking Tike canned fruit  it does not take much to Quot dress up Quot a salad according to Claessens. In addition to enhancing simple greens with chopped eggs and assorted fresh herbs she advises Quot All you need is an exotic ingredient or two to make your salad  she suggests Bright red radicchio claessens1 9-year-old son Adam an enthusiastic salad eater for the last three years often asks to try something new when he is shopping with his mom. Two of his recent choices Star and Cactus fruits. A fruit salads can be brightened with Green discs of Kiwi fruit and yellow rounds of Lemon. She commented. Quot people probably wont eat the Lemon slices but they add color and contrast and help keep the salad fresh looking  a touch of Orange juice becomes the dressing for the salad. Here Are some additional Basic salad making tips and recipes from Claessens. A herbs store watercress and Basil on the Stem. Thoroughly rinse in a Basin of cold water stand Stem ends in Container and add water to cover about i to 2 inches. Rinse Parsley Well in Basin of cold water and let soak to loosen grit. Lift out shake dry. Wrap loosely in paper towels refrigerate in plastic bag. A a a a tomatoes lose flavor when refrigerated. After picking store at room temperature or no lower than 55 degrees if possible. Cherry tomatoes often Are More. Flavorful than full size tomatoes during off season to Peel tomatoes drop in Large pan of rapidly boiling water and Blanch 10 seconds. Cut out Core and Peel just before needed. A a a to take the bite out of fresh onions to be used in salads drop sliced or chopped onions into boiling water for just a second Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled a. A. A dress and toss Green salads at the last minute. However with salads which must absorb the flavors of the disc a a is 3 v. D the  pc b a is 0 to a Ltd a a Cool it with coleslaw by Anne Byrn c a of a Cox news service Iff a w farm weather shifts our meals l outdoors where we sizzle steaks if 1# shr my and ribs atop the Grill. And a there a no better partner to grilled Quot Quot a foods than Cool refreshing coleslaw. Its an  a simple satisfying r7 a / y1 p v a c c s / g v c v a a the stars and stripes in Friday a mtg