3/8/2024 0 Comments Hand drawn tomato timerIt took willpower to not immediately open the can, but knew I should at least have a recipe in mind before cracking the seal. These are unpeeled San Marzano tomatoes from the small village of Sant' Antonio Abate near Naples, cultivated in the farmlands on the lower slopes of Mount Vesuvius, and so fragile they must be picked and processed all by hand. Above the tomatoes is the name in script, " Il Miracolo di San Gennaro" - the miracle of San Gennaro - and below in plain lettering: "Pomodori." Most of the fine print on the label is in Italian but in English they note, " Ingredients: Entire tomatoes do not peel to you, in tomato juice." The tin had an old-fashioned looking label featuring six dark red plum tomatoes, still on their stalk, hand-drawn as if by someone who knows more about tomatoes than art. I opened the small box to find a jar and a tin, each containing Italian tomatoes. And they are passionate about their work, bringing artisanal Italian foods to the U.S. These women are warm and engaging in the way that when you meet them you want them to always be your friends. Just as I was wondering what might snap me out of my cooking doldrums I received a package from Beatrice and Martina at Gustiamo, a Bronx-based food wholesaler that also sells retail on-line. What's next? A bowl of gruel and a cup of water? Tomato Miracles ![]() Much of this complicated economy is psychological and seeing a newsstand row lined with this photograph won't help. I really love this magazine and respect Ruth Reichl and her team, but please - can we do better than a sandwich? The inside contents aren't at all so Spartan, making the cover even more confounding. The March issue of Gourmet arrive in my mailbox this weekend and its cover features a sandwich. I don't seem to be the only one stuck for ideas. Is it because the winter markets do not inspire? The reality of daily cooking isn't always poetic and during these cold months the range of foods we cook can get narrower and narrower. ![]() Saving money may have provoked our topic but I think we were also talking about returning the making of our meals back into our lives instead of relying on others to do this for us. I suggested strategies like buying an insulated lunch bag and a good thermos so your food still tastes good by the time you get it to the office, buying your lunch at the grocery store near your office instead of the deli, plus portable lunch menus like ones we've already offered here. The ideas we discussed (not all mine - most were from callers, listeners writing in, and, of course, from Brian) included make-ahead cold salmon, almond butter and jam sandwiches, and adding fresh vegetables to canned or boxed soup. ![]() Brian is a warm and welcoming person who loves food, although I'm not certain about his patience for being in the kitchen. This time I helped Brian kick-off a week-long series on the subject of bringing your lunch to work. Last week I had the fun of again being on The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC.
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