Villa Adriana

Back in grad school I had the unique opportunity to work on an architectural dig at Hadrian’s Villa (Villa Adriana) outside of Tivoli in Italy. With all the digging, walking, measuring, and hauling rock, I not only kept off the pasta-gelato pounds, but I not only shed the ten pounds gained my first year as a graduate, but actually reduced my weight to my high school days. And when I returned to the US, sporting a haircut from Rome, a bronze Mediterranean tan, Italian threads, and a new sleek self, I felt like that fat chick from the Judith Krantz novel, Scruples. Life is so easy in the superficial city of Los Angeles.
Anyway, we had two wonderful women who prepared our meals for us. One item that we never got tired of was this amazingly simple salad that the high-priced restaurant on the lake used to serve of melon with arugula.

Melone con rucula
Extra virgin olive oil
Chopped arugala, a good handful
Cantaloupe, skin removed and sliced
Place cantaloupe slices on a platter. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with the chopped arugala. Season with fleur de sel and freshly-ground black pepper. Serve immediately or the salt will begin to draw out the water.
Alternatively the melon can be chopped into bite-size pieces.