Tuesday, September 05, 2006

The Ups and Downs of Tomato Season

I am a tomato snob. I grew up in New Jersey, it is my birthright. There’s nothing worse than those mealy red orbs you find in the grocery store in December, posing as tomatoes. Every year I look forward to the real thing and mourn the end of tomato season. At least I used to.

This season, my feelings are confused; I’m in a muddle. I find myself despising beautiful red, yellow and green heirloom tomatoes, hoping they fall off the shelf and are crushed on the floor. At the restaurant, I make about 30 heirloom tomato salads a night. 45 if we serve it with buffalo mozzarella. They are slow, fussy, difficult to assemble, and break my rhythm. I find myself yearning for then end of tomato season, which is causing some kind of short circuit in the tomato-loving portion of my brain. A house divided against itself cannot stand.

4 Comments:

Blogger Ashley said...

My mom worked at a Cape Cod lobster shack one summer in college, and made about a million lobster rolls every day. She said it took her years to eat lobster again. I hope you make peace with the tomato sooner than that, because yeah. Tomatoes.

Off to the farmers' market...

10:23 AM  
Blogger s'kat said...

One word, m'dear: delegation. ;)

12:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

we need to plan another getogether soon. next week if you're free!

if you can stop by school friday between 12-2pm, you can watch L.C. and I competing in that cooking contest.

12:24 AM  
Blogger Jeff in NC said...

Well, kudos for you for admitting you were actually born in New Jersey! I can say that because I lived there for a few years. I don't have a birthright, but I do have a birthmark that kind alooks like New Jersey if you twist the skin and turn down the lights. Even better if you are drinking....

Anywhooo...where was I going with this...?

7:55 PM  

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