From Our Kitchens: Legendary ‘Green Jacket’ is ace of all salads

I moved to Macon from Griffin in 1976 to join Macon Bank as a loan officer. Being young, single and not the cook I am today, I frequented several of the nicer restaurants in Macon.

I soon discovered that only a block from my office on Second Street, near the Bibb County courthouse, was the iconic Green Jacket Restaurant and Lounge, named for the green sports coat given to all winners of The Masters golf tournament.

My first dinner at the Green Jacket was memorable. Stepping through the street-level, ordinary doors, I entered a long hall with portraits of Masters’ winners in their green jackets lining both walls.

I felt transformed, like I was with royalty, and visions of lush, green fairways and banks of beautiful azaleas danced in my head. 

I felt that the meal was rather royal, too. The food was great, but the Green Jacket salad was outstanding. The way it was prepared made you feel special. It was standard procedure for the restaurant to serve its signature salad by having a server roll a cart to the patron’s table and, with flair and finesse, have them observe as they prepared the salad.

After moving to Albany because of my job, I came back to Macon in 1987 and found the Green Jacket in a new location across from the Terminal Station. While having lunch there with a friend, the salad came up in conversation and I expressed my fondness for it. 

My friend told me he had the recipe. It had been given to him by the chef. To my surprise, he gave it to me.

I have prepared this delicious, unique salad for family and friends for the past 38 years. My wife, Kaye,  loves it and has learned to make it. She enjoys it every time it is served. 

One of my closest friends, the late Joe Sandefur, used to say it was his favorite. He was crazy about that salad. Every time we got together for dinner, at his house or mine, he would ask me to prepare it.

Our friends, Frank and Pat Horne, are the same way. Frank loves that salad, and I have given the recipe to several friends who have asked for it.

Green Jacket salad (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 large head iceberg lettuce, chopped fine
• 3 or 4 large green onions, chopped fine (some stems optional)
• 1 medium tomato, chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon powdered oregano
• 1 ¼ teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon Accent (monosodium glutamate)
• 6 tablespoons parsley
• 6 tablespoon chives

1-2 cups Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips

Instructions

Salad: Chop or break lettuce into a large mixing bowl, discarding hard white and yellow parts. Sprinkle freshly chopped or dried parsley and chives. Add pita chips broken into 1-inch pieces. Just prior to serving, add prepared dressing and mix well until lettuce is well-coated. Serve immediately.

Dressing: Prepare 2-24 hours ahead of time and refrigerate. In a small mixing bowl, combine red wine vinegar, oregano, seasoned salt and Accent. Stir well. Add vegetable oil and stir well. Add onions and tomatoes and stir well. Refrigerate in a closed container. Stir before adding to the lettuce mixture.