I celebrate the tomato!

Anyone who entertains guests ~ either at dinner or for a week ~ is familiar with the frenzy that goes on before they arrive. So it is here in our casa en paraiso. We are anticipating the arrival of guests (one tomorrow, the other on Thursday) so there has been a frightful amount of activity in preparation. Mr. C is taking care of the garden, front patio, salty window screens and filthy windows. I am in charge of laundry and guest room "niceties". You know, the Martha Stewart sorts of things; TP, Kleenex®, light bulbs that work, comfy pillows for reading, fresh soaps, hangers, water pitcher and glasses and flowers. Maybe some old New Yorkers that are not too far beyond their sell-by date.

And cooking. Which I have been doing since early this morning. First there was the prep and roasting of cherry tomatoes and garlic to make a delicious spread for crackers, along with some soft goat's cheese. Next there was getting the foccacia on to rise. Then came the preparation of a big vat of gazpacho. It looks like the meals are going to be heavy on the tomatoes. At the fish market tomorrow I will buy a whole snapper to make huachanango Veracruzana for dinner. Main ingredient (besides fish): tomatoes.The reason we are going heavy on them now is they are at their very best. What we get here are Roma-style, usually hard, dry, flavorless. But right now they are juicy and slightly acidic. We can also get tomatoes from Sinaloa and they are truly wonderful. Like a real tomato. They even smell like a tomato, which the Romas do not.

And if all of this weren't enough we are having a dinner guest tonight. His spouse is out of town so he and the delightful canine guest, Sammy, will be here for tacitos and homemade coffee ice cream.

With all this entertaining you'd never know we're leaving in 2 weeks. We must be nuts. No comment on that, please.