Do these names ring a bell: Cobb, Caesar, Waldorf, Nicoise, Caprese? They are not made-up names but instead pay homage to these salad creators and origins.

Cobb salad: One story said it was named after Bob Cobb, owner of the famed Hollywood restaurant, The Brown Derby, in the 1930s. Cobb was hungry before closing so he took some leftovers, lettuce, bacon, avocado hard-boiled egg, blue cheese and chicken, chopped it up and tossed it in French dressing. It wasn't long until restaurants from the West to the East of the United States embraced the dish.

Caesar salad: The founding of this salad goes back to July 4, 1924, when restaurateur Caesar Cardini ran out of ingredients at his Tijuana, Mexico, restaurant. To add some showmanship, the chef prepared the salad tableside.

Waldorf salad: This one goes back even further, to the 1890s. It was at the famed Waldorf Astoria in New York City for a charity ball where it was created by the hotel's maître d', Oscar Tschirky, aka Oscar of the Waldorf. And who would have thought that a salad's name would become one of the lyrics of the Cole Porter song, "You're the Top."

Nicoise salad: This salad is named after Nice, France, using ingredients that are common in the region, tomatoes, eggs, olives, tuna and anchovies, and of course, quality olive oil, making this salad a Mediterranean delight.

Caprese salad: Named after Capri, Italy, this salad says less is more, using only four ingredients that allows each one to shine -- tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil. Did you note the colors are those found on the flag of Italy?

There are many salads that perhaps are not as well known as these but are flavorful and represent cuisines from around the world: Som Tum from Thailand, Tabbouleh from the Middle East and Mexico's Nopalito salad made with prickly pear cactus.

When it comes to light summer fare, a salad is a usual go-to, especially with the bounty of produce available. Customizable, a salad can include all the food groups while it lets one enjoy a kaleidoscope of healthy ingredients in one vibrant dish. Salad is so much more than simply a side dish.

Searching for a new cookbook about salads, I found "Salads for Days" by Alice Zaslavsky (2024, Murdoch Books, $32.99). What caught my attention was this quote on the book's back cover, "You don't win friends with salad."

Curious, I delved further and found out it originated from the animated show "The Simpsons," the episode "Lisa the Vegetarian." Perhaps you remember when Bart sang the song to tease Lisa, who became a vegetarian.

The author writes: "True, the '90s -- when that episode aired -- were not kind to salads. Limp lettuce, fat-free dressings, too many sun-dried tomatoes ... it's no wonder that people weren't lining up to give salad a rap."

Her book proves that you do win friends with salad recipes such as Shaved Zucchini and Edamame Salad With Pickled Ginger, Calamari and Shell Pasta or Watermelon Salad With Chili Feta Dressing. So, move over iceberg lettuce, slices of cucumber, one cherry tomato and perhaps an olive and let in varieties of greens, veggies, fruits, seeds and grains so you, too, can make friends with salads.

To help you get started, here are a few recipes from the book. For the recipe for Cauli Tabouli With Lemony Tahini and Pomegranate, go to stephenfries.com/recipes.

The headnote says: "This is a salad that welcomes seasonal replacements: if asparagus isn't around, you can sub blanched green beans or broccolini bits; flip frisee into any green leaf to hand. Breakfast radishes are the long ones. If you can't find them, use the regular squat ones. Blue cheese is the bit that stays -- the umami punch -- and it's up to you whether that punch is a roquefort right-hander or a blue Castello left hook. Either way, it's a knockout. This dressing would be beautiful as a light sauce over proteins, tossed through new season baby potatoes, or in a dippy bowl as a vego bagna cauda with crudité vegetables."

1 small frisee lettuce (endive), soaked in cold water

2¾ ounces blue cheese (such as roquefort or blue Castello -- whatever floats your boat)

Caper Vinaigrette:

1 golden shallot, finely diced (about 1 heaping tablespoon)

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained and finely chopped

Put a saucepan of well-salted water on the stove to boil, snap off the asparagus ends then cut or snap the spears into 3/4-inch batons on the bias. Drop them into the boiling water to cook for 2 minutes or until lurid green and tender. Drain and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process. Finely slice the radishes vertically on a mandolin and drop in a little bowl of cold water until they snap to attention.

Drain the lettuce and radish, then spin-dry together and lay on paper towel until ready to deploy.

To make the vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together with a fork. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Assemble the salad, starting with the lettuce and radish, then add the asparagus and blobs of blue cheese (use a teaspoon to crack into it and keep your fingers from melting into it too much). Drizzle with the caper vinaigrette at the table.

The headnote says: "As far as stone fruit, adjectives and emojis go, peaches promise playfulness and satisfaction. Even the hardest, hapless peach is not irredeemable. Lackluster peaches can be dialed up with time on the barbecue, their natural zip and sweetness caramelizing to something entirely more sophisticated (plums and nectarines are also happy grillers). If your peaches are already super sweet, don't even bother grilling -- just slice into wedges and serve with the rest of the stuff. If you've snapped up green peppercorns for this, use the rest to make a sauce for roast veg or steak. Pink peppercorns fit the bill if you can't find green -- just halve the quantity and grind in a mortar and pestle. Buffalo mozzarella is a worthy stand-in for burrata.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for finishing

Heat a barbecue grill plate or heavy-based griddle pan on medium heat. Have a piece of baking paper and foil handy (this'll help keep the peaches intact, without leaving half the best burnished bits on the grill). Cut peaches in half and remove the stone. Brush the cut peach halves with a little of the olive oil. Lay the baking paper on top of the foil, then lay it foil-side down onto the hot grill, placing the peaches cut-side down on top of the baking paper. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the peaches have burnished evenly, softening slightly, then turn over to just warm through.

Meanwhile, to make the vinaigrette, put all of the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until emulsified. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Place the peaches cut-side up on a serving platter, leaving gaps for the burrata balls. Remove the garlic clove from the vinaigrette and pour the dressing over the peaches while they are still hot. Blob in the burrata, scatter with the mint leaves and finely sliced chives and dress with salt and pepper and a final flourish of olive oil.

The headnote says: "This needs a sweet but tart apple, so something like a Jazz works well. Poppyseeds aren't just textural, they also infuse a sweet, nutty, lightly anise flavor into the dressing. I like making this dressing in a jar, because you'll probably still have enough left over for tomorrow's salad. Just shake it back up, because it'll separate again. Wombok does wonders for slaws because it takes far less time to soften and has a milder, sweeter flavor than traditional winter cabbages, but if you've only got white cabbage at your disposal, shred it and massage with a little salt to soften it."

1 pound, 2 ounces finely shredded wombok (Chinese cabbage)

½ small red onion, finely sliced

2 tart red apples, julienned into matchsticks, tossed in lemon juice

½ cup neutral oil (I like grapeseed or sunflower oil here)

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a jar and give it a cocktail-bar shake. Taste and season with freshly ground black pepper and set aside in the jar for the flavors to develop and the poppy seeds to rehydrate.

In a large bowl, combine the red cabbage, wombok, onion and apple. Give the dressing another good shake and pour it over the salad, tossing again to coat generously. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter with parsley and chives. Serve immediately.

Images and text from "Salad for Days" by Alice Zaslavsky, photography by Rochelle Eagle, Murdoch Books

Stephen Fries is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 17 years and is co-founder of and host of "Worth Tasting," a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, and three-day culinary adventures around the U.S. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at [email protected]. For more, go to stephenfries.com.