Cuisine and Tomatoes

I really enjoyed the food that was served at the baby shower. It's not often that I have eaten at an authentic Italian restaurant. You might wonder why Italian? Well the answer is simple. My daughter married an Italian man. Their daughter, the mommy to be, married an Italian man. Everyone seems to be so hearty, warm and full of life.  Gioia di vivere.

 I learned several things at the meal served there.  First, there was no butter on the table. The wonderful bread was near a bottle of olive oil and a salt shaker. You just broke off a slice (pre-cut but not to the bottom) and dipped it in the olive oil and salt that you had put on your bread plate. It was very good. Politeness rules as far as the servers were concerned. They bent over backwards to please. Many courses are involved.  If you would like to visit the actual "Ristorante" web page just click on the link below and visit. Don't forget to look at the menu!
La Campagna Ristorante

Now for another topic - tomatoes. Every year my daughter who lives near me here in PA grows special meaty large tomatoes from seed. She then hardens the little plants and brings and plants them in her sister's garden in NJ. They are treasured by all of us. We look forward to our Oxhearts. This year the NJ plants were doing just fine, as always. Three large red and juicy globes were picked and enjoyed. I was told that they were as large as grapefruits and delicious. THEN! There was a squirrel invasion. Not just one squirrel but several and, though six or seven were humanely trapped and taken far away, more came. They decimated ALL of the tomatoes that were growing large and with great promise to be the best crop ever. Several attempts at discouraging their actions were taken to no avail. The NJ family is both devastated and angry. For next year they have already ordered a screen house/canopy for protection.

In the meantime, PA tomatoes from the little seeds saved every year by both me and my daughter are doing fine this year. Two were delivered yesterday; one ripe and ready, and one for a day or two later. There are more to come.  It almost seems sinful to cut into them! They are exquisite!

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