Day 69 -- Dreaming Of Summer -- And Fresh Tomatoes

Years ago, my sister, brother-in-law and I took a trip to France and spent about a week in Provence.  In early August, Provence is known for blistering hot weather.  But we were also lucky enough to visit in the midst of tomato season and in a little outdoor cafe in Gourdes, we had the most amazing Caprese salad.  For those of you who don't know, a Caprese salad is made out of sliced fresh tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella (the kind that comes in balls), fresh basil, aged balsamic vinegar, fragrant olive oil and a bit of salt and fresh ground pepper.  It's best served with a crusty peasant bread that you can use to sop up the mixture of tomato juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

You may wonder why I'm bringing up a salad that is definitely not vegan.  First off, this would probably be one of those dishes that I'd include in my last meal.  And I certainly don't intend to go the rest of my life without eating a Caprese salad.  Even if I am a vegan most of the time, I'm sure I'll find a day or two a year when I can enjoy fresh mozzarella in a Caprese salad.

My other reason for bringing this up was to rhapsodize about tomato time in the late summer months.  There is nothing more wonderful than sweet tomatoes, warmed by the sun and eaten straight off the bush.  I can't even bear to buy tomatoes in the store this time of year because they're a weak substitute for those grown in a home garden.  This spring, I'm going to plant some tomatoes in a small corner of my perennial garden.  A pot of basil is also a necessity along with a row or two of arugula and baby greens.

With more that fifteen inches of snow piled up outside, it's hard to imagine tomato time ever coming.  But the snow will melt and the trees will bud and before I know it, Day 240 will arrive and I'll be eating fresh tomatoes.  Summer can't come fast enough.