Miller Time Friday: TOMATO LOVE and a new swoon-worthy shoe!

Happy Friday!

Last night I hosted a BBQ for 15 people - it was very casual, but 7 of those 15 people were teenagers, there was a brand new puppy in the room (not mine, my friend S's...) and mostly we just wanted to catch up.  The party was in honour of my friend S, who I went to high school with.  The wives in the  two other couples who came were also two of my best high school friends.

I always consider that I was very lucky in high school - I hung out with a great group of girls and we were all kind to each other.  We were neither popular, nor were we unpopular, which is an enviable position in life to be in if you know what I mean because all of the other high school cliques claim you as their own.  If there was such an award, we were THE GIRLS MOST LIKELY TO BE DEBATING BRONTE AT THE SLEEPOVER.  You can judge that all you like, and I would like to go on record to say that we did get into the odd drunken debauchery, but mostly we loved to read and write and were very nice to each other and everyone else, which is a lovely gift in high school, because sometimes the boys and the other girls are not necessarily like that.  So it was great to get together and have a wonderful visit!  Much wine was drunk, along with the newly beloved ST. GERMAIN COCKTAIL, which deserves an entire post about as we have gone ST. GERMAIN crazy in this house, thanks to shenanigans I got up to with Dani last month...

I feel that today we need to discuss tomatoes...

I LOVE tomatoes.  WAIT! Let me qualify that - I LOVE summer tomatoes.  Fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes. 

It is a love that is almost unseemly.  Sometimes, I just walk out to the potager and stand there and take a deep inhalation and think "Oh my - tomatoes" and then I eye each and every plant, willing them to go forth and multiply.

 

The tomatoes are just starting to ripen here and many of my plants have hardly any tomatoes on them at all, but I have patience - they have never let me down yet.

One of my plants is taller than I am now..

And these little yellow buds are just waiting to burst forth with lovely red goodness:

Is it just me, or can a tomato plant look sexy?

 
It is important to place them near the basil, as you are going to want them to get comfortable with one another as they are going to be spending a lot of time together later...

Yesterday at lunch I sliced up a lovely fresh tomato, sprinkled it with a wee bit o' sea salt, drizzled it with olive oil, added basil and peppered goat cheese and voila - lunch!  While I was picking the tomatoes and basil I happened upon a lovely zucchini blossom, just begging to come to lunch, so I honoured the request and this little blossom get pulled through the salty olive oil dregs on the pate and was divine as well.

Oh and a little shot of the dying days of the bee balm.  Never have so many given so much for the hummingbirds and the bumblebees...

I also have to share a shoe I came across that I am absolutely CRAZY about:

Enzo Angiolini Pointed Toe Pumps - Crystani3 Kitten Heel

Described thusly:

Take on the trends in this must-have pair with haircalf, pointed toe; sleek ankle straps and kittenish heels, from Enzo Angiolini. They're an instant update for your work wardrobe.

• Calf hair upper, manmade lining, manmade sole
• Imported
• Pointed toe, buckled ankle strap; 2.5" heel
• Available in full and half sizes

I know, I know - manmade.  But calf hair, ankle strap and only a 2.5" heel. I wonder if it is real or fake calf hair?  Is there such a thing as fake camel hair?  If there is this would be the perfect sexy vegan shoe!  Oh and besides the camel colour, it comes in a very fall-ish shade as well, beetroot:

You can pick yours up at Bloomies here.  I have mine on sale watch....

But it is Miller Time and I thought in honour of my obsession with tomatoes we would make a lovely fresh tomato cocktail.  But no Bloody Mary's for the summer for me.  I'd like something a little lighter and came across this recipe on the bon appetite website:

Summer in Seattle Ken Gray, Spur Gastropub, Seattle

1/4 heirloom tomato
1 oz. honey dew melon
1 medium strawberry
1.5 oz. gin
.5 oz. lemon
.25 oz. simple syrup

Muddle the tomato, melon, and strawberry together in a shaker to a consistent, smooth texture. Then add the gin, lemon, and simple syrup. Shake the ingredients together with ice vigorously, then double strain into a glass. Garnish with the heirloom tomato wedge.

hmmmmm....

Today I need to write, meditate and clean my house after yesterday's shenanigans!!!  What about you - you up to anything exciting this weekend?

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2013/08/tomato-cocktails.html#ixzz2bT6eBsqJ

 Have a great Friday and stay safe out there!