Origin of the Phrase: “Those Were The Salad Days”

In 1847, a young entrepreneur by the name of Norb Queems was arrested and charged with horse trading fraud. During his trial, Queems came up with an elaborate defense in which Queems argued that his scheme for acquiring horses was, at the heart, a plan to promote the acceptance of dinner salads nationwide. Queems, a lettuce farmer near Bakersfield, California, had set up a distribution network much like the Pony Express, by which his team of riders would circulate fresh salad makings throughout the West, but primarily in Las Vegas. Although Las Vegas was not settled at the time, the travelers in the region suffered from scurvy outbreaks, due to the absence of proper nutrients in the region. In any event, Queems was acquitted of the charges, and from 1848-1854, he used his much publicized plan to promote the adoption of the salad. Much like the Dutch tulip frenzy several centuries prior, the Salad Days of the 1850s were a period of rampant speculation in Iceberg and Romaine futures, which later spawned innovations like the Chicago Board of Trade, Paul Newman varietal dressings, and the garnish industry (parsley was revived after centuries of misuse during this period).

Queems later retired to Hidden Valley Ranch outside Ojai, California, recounting endlessly the advent of the modern salad industry until his death in 1902 at the hands of the Mexican Radish Bandits. And so it came to pass that the phrase “The Salad Days” was adopted into national lore.

Current Usage

Popular in U.S., refers to a better time than currently experienced. After all, what better time was there than the original Salad Days???

Example

Stan: Those were the salad days.
Timmy: Damn straight!