Tomatoes

When I arrive at the farmers' market, I usually like to do one round to see what all the vendors have and then go back and buy the best from each farmer. This morning, however, I was seduced by the tomatoes at the very first stand I came to. She had these gorgeous little yellow ones and, beside the flats of perfect heirloom tomatoes, a flat of equally perfect, as far as I could tell, seconds for half the price. Local tomatoes. Cheap. How can you go wrong?

After briefly considering using them with the baby zucchini and summer squash I got from the same woman in some pasta thing, I decided to make a quick tomato salad.

Quick tomato salad

• a few tomatoes, large or small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• large handful flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 Tbs. good olive oil
• 1 tsp. vinegar or your choice
• generous pinch salt
• good grind of pepper

• Chop tomatoes, removing the seeds if you so desire, and place in bowl. Mince garlic and parsley and add to tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Mix together. Set aside while you do something else, allowing flavors to marry.

Try substituting basil for the parsley.

Toast came instantly to mind once the salad had been made. I don't have a toaster, so when I say toast you can think of this instead: I take a nice thick slice of good bread, spread butter on one side, and put it butter side down on a hot dry pan. I put something heavy on top of the bread and when the buttered side is golden-brown it's done. One side is crispy and buttery and the other side its perfect complement: warm and soft. And I do love a poached egg on toast. So lunch became quick tomato salad with poached egg on toast.