Monday, July 27, 2009

Un jitomate

In Mexico tomate becomes jitomate. I don't know the history of that etymological change but since I am a California native that is term I routinely use for tomato when speaking Spanish.

Tonight I waited until almost sunset before watering the yard and even then it was hot when I ventured out the back door. After watering I did a bit of pruning then collected two small handfuls of tomatoes. I have tiny yellow pear ones and bright red cherry ones. And I harvested the one I've been watching for weeks, a golf-ball size red and orange striped one that was nestled between two branches that had just started to crush it. No salt, no olive oil, no chiffonade of basil, just pure tomato.

And it was good.

Heavenly. The real firstfruits of the yard.

--the BB

3 comments:

The Cunning Runt said...

I'm so far behind you on this one, my poor garden doesn't know if it's a vegetable patch or a rice patty.

I just heard an interesting nutrition lecture wherein I learned (among other things - I'm easy like that) that a lot of things high in vitamin C need to be mixed with fats to release the C. Which is all the excuse I need to reach for the extra virgin olive oil!

Still, there are few things in life which are simpler or more satisfying than that first hot tomato of the season, exploding its warm juices down your throat.

Paul said...

Ralph, you make that sound so nasty ... and desirable.

Jane R said...

Mmmmmmm.

Tomato turn-on. :-)