Farmers Market Haul and Mother’s Day Frittata

You know its the beginning of summer with berries, stone fruit and tomatoes at almost every stall in the market. I went to my favorites ABC Rhubarb, Windsor Farms, McGrath, Drakes’ Family Farm for goat cheese, and St. Mortiz Bakery for a crusty French baguette that was a perfect size. I also purchased some asparagus and always a variety of lettuces, lemons, and onions. Lemons are, for me, completely necessary for a marinade, a dressing and just to drizzle on grilled or roasted chicken.

MOTHER’S DAY

“You know what it is, honey, food is love.” – Streisand as Joyce, GUILT TRIP

Last night, my mother and I watched GUILT TRIP with Striesand and Seth Rogen. Interesting. Cute. Not hilarious but some poignant moments especially if you had just spent 5 hours in the car with your mother like I did. I was picking her up from her home two hours away and driving back to Los Angeles, where I live. It wasn’t 8 days, like in the movie, but sometimes 5 hours can seem like infinity especially in stop-n-go traffic. (When I was 7, my mother and I took a road trip across country on Interstate 10. We drove through the Southern states, Arizona, Texas, Georgia….Certainly, one of the greatest memories of my life.)

So the film and it’s theme resonated with me as I went about my weekly Farmers Market shopping excursion. Cooking is about giving back, food is love, etc. My mother wasn’t the most prodigious of homecooks as I was growing up. She was a single, working mother. Hard enough. But, she loves reading my food posts and is an ardent fan of mine. (Surprise.) And I wanted to do something special.

We both aren’t into noisy crowds and she’s not really able to get around as swiftly so I thought the easiest thing to do was to make something at home. Besides, she loves tomatoes and they were everywhere so I wanted to buy some for her. (She loves tomato sandwiches. Mayo, tomato, on white bread.) We could only do that if I cooked. I originally thought of an omelet with Cheddar, Tomato and Asparagus but that would mean two pans. (One for her, one for me.) With a frittata, which as we know, I’m fond of making, it’s one pan clean-up. Ultimately, that’s what she got for Mother’s Day, a frittata but I wound up making a Drake’s Family Farm Goat Cheese & Red and Green Pepper Frittata. Served with a Bloomfield Spinach Salad tossed in a Balsamic Vinagrette with fresh Albion Strawberries.

The Big Beef Tomato needs it’s own stage and not lost in egg. Besides, my mother worked hard all her life and deserves the first taste of summer lushness simply. So on her birthday tomorrow, as she turns 77, it will be sliced, with a little mayo on a crusty baguette.

Happy Mother’s Day!