Low on the Go!

on love affairs.

Sometimes, the mark of a good love affair is that it starts off with hate. You just can't stand to be around him, can't stand to look at him, to go near him. Then comes the day when he consumes all of your thoughts. Oh, the nerve of him to just come barging in! He already makes your life a living hell, showing up whenever he's not wanted. But to barge in on your thoughts too! And at first, you play it off as hate, but the more you think about him, the more you hate him, the more you realize that maybe your hate isn't hate directed at him, but rather, the hate is directed at this passion that you can't seem to quench, can't seem to get away from.

And you realize that all those knots in your stomach, the sick feelings you feel are just the feelings of wanting that you've been bottling up all along. So you walk out of your house, on a sunny winter day. It is warm, almost remniscent of spring. There are puddles, and there's a hum in the air. Your shoes crunch the salt on the ground as you walk briskly, hardly able to contain yourself. Oh, the wanting! It's there.

And then you see him. Right inside, down the first aisle.

The tomato.

You quickly scoop him up, hoping no one sees you. After all your brash talk about hating him, about despising him, no one can know about this love affair that you are about to enter into.

You bring him home with you, perhaps unwise for a first date. Much more appropriate would be enjoying his company at a little italian restaurant with checkered tablecloths. But oh, the passion is too great.

So you bring him home, not even knowing him on more than a first name basis. You cut him up, place him in a pan alongside the avocado and the ricotta cheese. Then you drizzle reduced cream, garlic and basil leaves, and stick them in an oven, until things become hot and steamy.

When all is finally said and done, you serve it all on warm and toasted country bread.

And the love, oh, it is good.




Creamed Tomatoes, Avocado and Ricotta Cheese on Country Bread.
3/4 cups heavy cooking cream (at least 15%)
2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
10 fresh basil leaves
6 roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise (approx 1 cm in width)
1 avocado, also sliced lengthwise
3-4 tbsp ricotta cheese
country bread, cut thickly
salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a saucepan, simmer the cream and the garlic until 1/3rd reduced.
While simmering cream, cut tomatoes and place in a oven-safe baking dish. Place sliced avocado on top of tomato slices. Then spoon the ricotta cheese over the tomatoes and avocadoes.
When cream is done simmering, stir in basil leaves.
Pour this mixture over the tomatoes and slide into oven.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes until cream is bubbly and thick, and tops of the tomatoes are slightly blistered.
Spoon this out onto toasted bread and add salt and pepper to taste (don't forget to do this, or your lunch will be bland)!



You know, the thing about love affairs is that they're over and done with so quickly. And once they're over, the sick feeling in your stomach comes back, and you realize that maybe...just maybe, you should have waited to get over the flu before subjecting your stomach to the ridiculously good food you make.

Then again, what's a love affair without spontaneity. And damn, that was a good meal. Sometimes, you just gotta throw your hands in the air and say, "To heck with the outcome, i'm not waiting a second longer to eat!" It's probably not the wisest thing, in retrospect. But what love affair is wise?

Oh Mr. Tomato, i don't want to see you for awhile, but thanks for such a wonderful sunday!