Tomatoes

I love tomatoes -- and always have, even before they were known to be healthy! My all-time favorites are organic, heirloom tomatoes found mostly at farmer's markets in California. They are often available at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, but freshly harvested, bought from the grower cannot be topped! Add fresh cut basil, mozzarella cheese and lots of vinegar -- a heavenly treat, indeed. My husband is partial to cherry and sundried tomatoes, but I will eat any tomato, in season or not. Alice Waters once said, when I toured the Marin Farmer's Market with her, that a tomato out of season was simply not worth eating.
We tried some Jersey tomatoes recently and they were quite different. They were flavorful and had a more firm texture. Anytime I see gazpacho on a menu, I am compelled to try it. As a pepper freak, I will always love eating a tomato with lots of fresh ground pepper. In fact, I am going to do that right now!