Summer Re-Runs

Leading up to the election (and, by the way, HOORAY!), we slid back into summer. Hallowe'en had passed, rainy and cold and discouraging to the young goblins. I was cleaning gutters, putting away the deck chair cushions, and sweeping the fallen leaves out of the carport when November decided to grant me a couple more really warm, sunny days just before the dip back in to fall. After our cool, foggy summer, it seemed like a gift from the weather gods.

I gleefully donned my cutoffs and short sleeved tee shirts, put the cushions back out and settled in on the deck with a trashy novel to bask in the warmth. I never stop wearing flipflops but often, at this time of year, I add tabi socks. No need for tabi socks during those lovely days, however - heavenly bare toes!

Giddy with delight, I decided to extend the celebration with barbecues, corn on the cob and summer salads. We had teriyaki skirt steak and smoky mussels and corn from the grill for dinner. And, because Cousin Jan had brought us some wonderful, really ripe, late season tomatoes from her pal Jim Sartain's garden, I made BLTs and my favorite avocado-and-tomato sandwiches for lunch. Alongside our grilled steak, I assembled a version of a caprese salad, one that I will happily repeat once good tomatoes roll around again.

There is little so good in the world as caprese salad when the tomatoes are really ripe. Jim's are deeply red all the way through and absolutely gush with juice when sliced. They are so sweet that you really comprehend that tomatoes are, indeed, a fruit but with that little tang of an aftertaste that only good tomatoes retain.

The only change I made this time was to replace the usual basil with fresh oregano from my herb pots. I had trimmed back my somewhat woody oregano plant and it had rewarded me for the haircut by producing lots of tender green shoots. I snipped a few and stripped the leaves off the stems to sprinkle over the salad. It wasn't earth-shaking, but it was a nice change and I'd do it again. The fresh green leaves added color and flavor to the dish, but didn't cover up the real star, that perfect tomato.

My summer re-run was sweet, but short. Where did I put those tabi socks?