rosewaters

rye toast spread with aioli, topped with smoked salmon and a fried egg. On the side, a whole tomato sliced up and salted. And a cup of hot tea with milk. I usually don't like supermarket tomatoes, especially outside of summer, but when I was in Poland last winter we had sliced, salted tomatoes with breakfast every morning with our bread and cheese and it was wonderful. Salt helps a lot. Not the same as those heavenly, meaty, red summer tomatoes sliced thick, but still brightens things up.

When I was growing up we had an almond tree in our backyard. Being impatient people who were fascinated by the idea of picking our own food (i.e., playing farmer), my brother and I ate the almonds at every stage of their development. We never thought to eat the fuzzy green part though, which is surprising since we tried everything else in sight (flowers, grass, poisonous bulbs...yeah, thank God for poison control). But anyway, I liked the clear goo in the middle and my favorite stage were the very tender, sweet, young nuts with just developing skin. Mmmm... the tree died. Now I eat almonds from a package.

Although I'm trying to get onto a regular meal-eating schedule, I'm finding that 3 meals really doesn't work for me. Four is better. When I'm working (teaching) I usually have a pretty small breakfast and lunch. So then I eat something small when I get home at four o'clock and then again later at 7 or 8. So, yesterday afternoon: big bowl of snow peas sauteed in olive oil and garlic, cut up blood orange and strawberries with sprinkle of fresh nutmeg, handful of almonds, slice of cheddar, chocolate chip cookie. yesterday evening: artichoke with mayonaise, bowl of popcorn with salt, sugar, a little melted butter. the day before: I didn't work, so just one big stir-fry of zucchini, carrot, green pepper, snow peas, pea sprouts, a little new york steak, and some leftover green curry from a Thai restaurant. Nobody patient enough to wait for rice.