Tea Room Recipe #21 - Cranberry Tea Room (San Bernardino, Calif.)

This week I had a good excuse to use my $1 green Depression glass grill plates I found last Christmas. This seemed the perfect plate on which to serve this week's "luncheon" type tea room recipe, Spaghetti Salad!

This recipe comes from the "Cranberry Tea Room Cookbook," a 1992 book by Richard Martinez. The book jacket says this about the tea room: "Founded in 1980 by Richard Martinez and the late Robin Denslow, The Cranberry Tea Room was originally located in the 40th Street shopping mall in North San Bernardino, and was one of just two eating establishments in the area that could be called 'upscale.' Martinez, a native of Texas, had spent over a decade in the restaurant business prior to opening the Tea Room, and brought to the new venture a wide range of American and Mexican specialties, plus his consummate management skills. Denslow designed the interior of the new establishment, combining a flavor of Paris and a touch of the exotic to create a unique decor that was both tasteful and complementary to the cuisine." (That, I thought, explained the presence of so many Mexican recipes in the book. I love Mexican, but not generally in conjunction with my teatimes!)

Cold pasta salads very much appeal to me at this time of year, and this Spaghetti Salad sounded great. I loved the flavor, and I absolutely agree that you *must* let it marinate thoroughly! Yields 6-8 servings.

Spaghetti Salad

1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions and drained
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup green onions with tops, sliced
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 cup radishes, sliced
1 (16-ounce) bottle vinegar-and-oil Italian dressing
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and toss well. Cover and let flavors marinate in the refrigerator for at least 7 hours or overnight. The book notes you could add any leftover vegetables you may have to vary the flavors, but I made this just as-is and very much enjoyed it as my lunch one day this week!