Recipe
Ingredients
1 c, vinegar 2 tight heads lettuce, quartered and diced 2 stalks celery cabbage, cleaned and diced 2 cucumbers, peeled and diced 3 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned 2 kosher dill pickles (preferably Claussen's), chopped ½ c. pickle juice ½ lg. red onion, sliced ½ Bermuda onion, sliced 1 lg. green pepper, cut up 1 c. fresh mushrooms, quartered 1 lb. cold ham, rare roast beef (or other meat of your choice), cut in cubes 3 to 4 oz. New York extra sharp cheddar, cubed ½ c, vinegar 8 oz. Wish-Bone Italian dressing 2 T. mayonnaise 3 T. catsup Salt and pepper to taste 6 hard-boiled eggs, cut with 8-section wire egg cutter and divided transversely 1 bunch radishes, sliced 2 avocados, sliced Croutons Paprika
Instructions
Pour vinegar in large salad bowl, slosh around and pour off all but ⅛ inch. Add lettuce, celery cabbage, cucumbers, onion, grapefruit, pickles and juice, pepper, mushrooms, meat, cheese, vinegar, dressing, mayonnaise, catsup, salt, and pepper. Combine well. Add eggs, toss lightly. Refrigerate 2 hours. Add radishes. Toss. Serve in large bowls. Cover with avocado and croutons. Sprinkle with paprika.
From the Castle Test Kitchen
When we first considered making Red Beach’s Green Salad, we planned to present it as an elegant – yet playful – mid century modern party dish. And then, we had a discussion with the architect’s daughter and learned the history of this recipe. During the weekdays, when his family was at their summer home on Old-Mission Peninsula, this was Red’s reliable workday meal. Rather being elegantly served, he would make the salad in a large mixing bowl - which also served as the serving bowl. The presentation was much less elegant than the method suggested in his wife Jean Beach’s cookbook Savoring Saginaw.
However, the precise specification for slicing eggs leaves little doubt of Red Beach’s profession.
History
Architect Glenn “Red” Beach left a rich legacy of elegant mid-century modern buildings throughout our community. Born in Medina, New York, in 1916, Beach graduated with a degree in architecture from Syracuse University. After graduating, he moved to Saginaw in September 1940 to accept a position as an architectural sales representative for Pittsburgh Plate Glass. He soon met Midland architect Alden B. Dow – whose work and design philosophy he greatly admired. Beach left Saginaw during World War II to attend Naval Training Schools at Cornell and Oahu. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy where he taught radar in Hawaii. After the war, he returned to Saginaw. After a brief stint working for the firm of Frantz and Spence, he joined Alden B. Dow’s office. In 1948, he left to open his own practice. His work included designs for residences, churches, schools, and office buildings – he even designed the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. Although his admiration for Dow’s work is apparent, his style is uniquely his own. Each building was designed to reflect the needs and desires of his clients and the demands of the site.
In an article in the September 1960 issue of the magazine Stone, he is quoted: “Architecture is a way of life, and a full life, to the point one needs no hobbies. There are phases of the profession that are more relaxing and enjoyable than the other.”
The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History preserves a collection of his architectural drawings, and his children have recently donated a photographic portfolio of his work.
After you have assembled the first portion of your salad and are waiting for it to chill, we suggest you visit the Midcentury Midland website and continue exploring the work of “Red” Beach and the work of his contemporaries.
This link will take you to the site:
https://midcenturymidland.org/glenn-beach/
While you are on the website, make certain you look at the page that shows the buildings he designed in Midland.
If you serve your salad at lunch, after lunch, you will have time to visit the Castle Museum and view the Pit and Balcony Theatre anniversary exhibit – “Red” Beach designed the Pit and Balcony Theatre building.
This selection of photographs is from a c. 1955 portfolio of Glenn Beach’s buildings that was recently donated to the museum by the architect’s family.