I’ve never lived in California, but I was chosen for a wine-making fellowship by Les Dames d'Escoffier a few years ago and I’ve also made the trek to Napa Valley and Santa Barbara a few times. So I’m pretty sure when I say: There’s a fresh, relaxed way of cooking in California wine country.

Maybe it’s because with beautiful, fresh, local produce available year-round, “farm to table” isn’t just a buzzy marketing tool; it’s a way of life, thanks to an abundance of farmers markets and community-supported agriculture partnerships offering products at their peak flavor.

Pittsburgh has wonderful farmers markets, too. It’s just that fruits and veggies seem to roll out so slowly once spring gives way to summer. But there are a few bright spots, including two that come into season in late spring: strawberries and rhubarb.

With their contrasting sweet and super tart flavor profiles and complementary colors, they’re often paired in a pie or crisp and also make a great filling for a crumbly coffee cake. These two are also perfect partners in a fresh spring salad.

Here, strawberries and rhubarb are chopped and sliced into bite-sized pieces and then lined up in colorful rows on either side of a bowl of fresh spring greens. The visually striking salad also features crisp, bright red slices of fresh radish, creamy crumbles of goat cheese and because every salad needs a bit of crunch, a row of toasted, salted pistachios.

The accompanying vinaigrette gets an extra punch of sweetness from honey and pureed strawberries (use the ones that are starting to become overripe).

To prepare rhubarb, thoroughly wash the stalks in water and trim off ends and leaves (which are poisonous!) so you’re left with just the stalks. Peel away any brown spots and coarse strings, but you don’t need to peel the entire stalk before cutting it into chunks.

I added more pistachios and goat cheese than the original recipe calls for because, well, why not? Both are so tasty! For herbs, I added a mix of fresh basil, parsley and dill. I couldn’t find any fresh edible flowers (such as verbena, nasturtium or calendula) to add to the mix, but if you can, they provide color and a wonderful, restaurant-worthy aesthetic.

I made the dressing with strawberry balsamic vinegar, but you also can use red wine, apple cider or champagne vinegar.

Strawberry, Rhubarb and Radish Salad

PG tested

For dressing

6 strawberries, hulled

2 tablespoons strawberry balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For salad

½ pound assorted baby lettuces, washed and spun dry

¼ cup assorted fresh herbs

1 or 2 rhubarb stalks, trimmed and chopped

⅓ cup shelled toasted pistachios

6 small or 3 large radishes, trimmed and shaved on a mandolin or sliced very thinly

⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese

1 cup sliced strawberries

Make vinaigrette: In a blender, food processor or personal-sized bullet blender, combine strawberries, vinegar, honey, mustard and oil and process until smooth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. You should get about 1 cup; transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until chilled.

Assemble salad: In a large shallow serving bowl, combine lettuce, herbs and toss to mix well.

Arrange rhubarb, pistachios, radish slices, crumbled cheese and sliced strawberries in neat rows on top of the greens. Garnish with fresh edible flowers, if using.

Present the salad and after everyone finishes clapping — this is one beautiful salad! — toss the greens with the vinaigrette tableside.

Serves 4.

— adapted from “Season: A Year of Wine Country Food, Farming, Family & Friends” by Justin Wangler and Tracey Shepos Cenami

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