I have a friend who says that he is a lightning rod for drama queens. I may well be a lightning rod for crazy old codgers. My mission today was to pick up some olive oil and grape tomatoes. At the tomato section, I came across a portly and somewhat disheveled gentleman carefully picking out these tomatoes of all shapes, sizes, and colors.
He was aware of my presence. "These are heirloom tomatoes!" he told me, turning to me as if I would naturally be curious.
"Oh," I commented, "Yes, they're very interesting-looking." There were some very large ones, some spotted ones, and some tiny green ones that had the look of lizard skin.
"They are delicious. Just delicious." And then he began detailing to me how he had gone to several markets just to stock his supply, and how this particular Ralph's was one of the only ones to sell them. ("Yeah, I get my Grapples here," I agreed.) He told me that the best way to eat them is to have a paper thin onion slice, preferably Maui, along with it, and use a little vinegar and perhaps a little salt. Don't bake it, though. Have it at room temperature. Did you know that refrigerating tomatoes actually makes them rot more quickly? I was getting wrapped up into it. I started picking out tomatoes with him and we quickly found the ones that were bruised. I decided I had to try one, as well.
He started examining the tomato I had in my hand. "Um, this isn't quite ripe. Listen, let me buy this for you. You've never had one before and you can't very well spend six dollars on a tomato. I'll just buy this one for you."
And then we got into another conversation where he revealed that he is an attorney. We began talking about the Bar exam and the typical February passage rates. He was a Trojan, and ribbed me a little for being a Bruin. Oh, you do insurance defense? Tell me you are not working that many hours a week! Karen, you have to study!
Back to the tomatoes. This one's perfect. You see how this one is sort of dark orange? I generally cut off the top, and the bottom, but have a very thin slice. Yeah, it will taste good too if you have it like a caprese. Tell me that you have very good balsamic though.
"Listen," I told him, "I can't have you buying this for me. How about you give me one of the hand-picked tomatoes from your stash instead?"
He looked at his little collection. "Yeah, I have more at home. That's a good idea. I'm a little eccentric." (You think??) He weighed one of his perfectly ripe tomatoes, then handed it to me. Not quite a pound. Affordable.
He handed me his business card. "If you're interested in criminal work... anyway, let me know how that tomato turns out!"
On his way to the checkout, I noticed that several of the grocers waved at him and greeted him. Just another day for this heirloom tomato-collecting lawyer.
And that is how I ended up buying a four-dollar tomato today.
posted by Lucy Sloan @ 4:59 PM
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