Cheating the Season

Okay, I admit it - I bought cherry tomatoes imported from Mexico to hurry along the summer season. Usually, I try to eat locally and seasonally and this year I planted my own cherry tomato bush, but this time I just had to. You see, my oregano, planted as a tiny sprig a month or so ago, is now a healthy plant threatening to outgrow its side of the pot it shares with the tomato and other herbs, so I needed to pinch it back. It reminds me of a six year-old boy - a little too eager and aggressive, but delightful just the same.

I decided to make a caprese salad using the oregano tips rather than the more traditional basil and we actually liked it even better. The vinaigrette was simple - just a tablespoon of Dijon mustard whisked with a similar amount of Meyer lemon juice, a squeezed clove of garlic and about twice the amount of olive oil, plus the minced oregano.

I may have rushed the tomato season a bit, but it was worth it.