A note on tomatoes

A good tomato is such a treat. Supermarket tomatoes usually fail to qualify as good straight out of the produce aisle. In case you have not figured this out yet, you can dramatically improve a grocery store tomato by letting it sit in a sunny window sill for a few days. It will turn redder and sweeter. They must pick those things practically green otherwise the tomatoes would be rotten after travelling by train from California. Or do they take American Airlines?

Asparagus as comfort food

Ok, I still have an evil cold so I am not cooking or eating except whatever requires the bare minimum and qualifies as comfort food. (The only thing I really miss about not having a man around is the fact there I have to get out of bed to make my own herbal tea when I'm sick).

Saturday I bought some asparagus at the farmers market. A couple of days ago I went to Wholefoods to pick up some chicken noodle soup and some good bread. I got a loaf from La Ferme Bakery which is a local place run by a French master baker. I also had a good sharp cheddar in the fridge.

With these ingredients on hand, I decided to toast and butter two slices of the bread, top w/ several spears of cooked aparagus, and cover with a cheddar cheese sauce. The cheese sauce is simple a bechamel w/ grated cheese thrown in: melt a T. of butter, add a T. of flour and combine. Add milk slowly. Probably a cup, but I'm not really sure. It should be the consistency of gravy. Then add about 4oz of shredded cheddar. Salt and pepper to taste.

My grandmother and mother used to make this in the spring when my grandfather's asparagus was growing. In my humble view, this is the very best thing to do w/ asparagus. Eating it reminds me of my loved ones. I think about how my grandfather had the greenest thumb this side of Eden and how this did NOT rub off on me!

I don't even bother with side dishes. The only side it needs is possibly some fresh tomato slices.

The best spinach dip w/ chipotle lime

2 10-ounce packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8 ounces cream cheese (about 1 cup), softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream (see note)
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo sauce, or more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Tortilla chips, for dipping.

1. Bundle spinach in a clean dishtowel and squeeze very tightly to remove all excess moisture.

2. In a food processor, blend together all ingredients except spinach until very smooth, about 90 seconds. Pulse in spinach until just combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve with tortilla chips.

Yield: About 3 cups.

Note: You can omit the sour cream and increase mayonnaise to 1 cup.

From May 23, 2007 NYT

Comfort food: variation on grilled cheese

When I was sick as a child, my mother always made me grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. We used to dip our cheesy sandwiches into the soup like a bunch of ill-mannered hooligans. Sick people and children surely get special dispensation regarding manners, especially in the privacy of one's home.

Well, here I am sick w/ a cold. My throat hurts from my ears to my collar bone. I've been asleep for two days and have been forcing myself to get up and eat, which isn't fun when swallowing feels like razor blades.

Anyway, I made some tomato soup to soothe my throat and I improvised a grilled cheese sandwich from what I could find in the kitchen: 2 slices of frozen whole wheat bread, olive oil, spinach and a ball of mozarella.

I brushed the bread on one side w/ olive oil and toasted under the broiler until it was no longer frozen. Then I took it out and brushed the other side w/ olive oil, put some torn spinach leaves on the bread and then topped each piece of bread w/ two slices of mozarella. I put it back under the broiler until the cheese melted. Then I placed the open-faced sandwiches on a plate, sprinkled w/ salt and pepper and drizzled w/ more olive oil. MMMM!

It was good, comforting and I managed to slip some leafy greens into my lunch.

Unfortnately I am now tired from all of that activity so I'm going back to bed for yet another nap!