Confessional: winter tomatoes

This is picture of last summer's tomatoes. I apparently took so many pictures of tomatoes that I created a folder under My Pictures that is simply titled: Tomatoes. This folder contains several pictures of red, green, yellow, orange and everything in between tomatoes. I forgot I created this folder. Where would I be without my fat folder of tomato photos? I should sell it as stock photos should any tomato company need ad help.

At any rate, I'm posting about tomatoes because I gasp! bought two Romas today at Whole Foods. Shipped all the way from California. Most certainly they'll be fairly tasteless and gummy in texture. As I went into the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee just now, I spied those two tomatoes sitting in the fruit/veggie bowl on the butcher's block. They looked so odd and out of place there, with a load of snow just on the other side of the window where they sit. If it were summer, I'd be complaining about how those counter-top tomatoes seem to breed while we're sleeping. But it's January. There shouldn't be tomatoes on the counter-top.

We've really done a lot to eat as seasonally as possible (barring a 3 month period last year when I was incredibly nauseous with first trimester misery) for the last three years. We've always had a garden, but only recently tried to really eat what was local and in season. And surprise, surprise! Things taste better when they're local and in season.

But

something came over me yesterday when I popped into Trader Joe's to get a couple incidentals. I spotted a tub of tzatziki sauce. That delicious sauce that makes me salivate to think about it. Tzatziki sauce is the creme de la creme of Coney Island diners across America. Tzatziki sauce goes on gyros, hippie hash, Greek omelettes... anything with feta! I love it! And while I know that I can make it myself, I haven't. And I was hungry. And I've been gone all day, every day this week. So I bought it! Snap! Impulsive!

Of course, I didn't buy anything to go with it last night.

This morning, I remembered the chicken breasts I have in the basement freezer. Chicken gyros, yum.

That meant that I had to pick up pita (because I've never successfully made pita to be like real pita). And what's a gyro without tomatoes? Even if they're gummy, winter tomatoes (most likely) artificially ripened on their trip across the country? Okay, and I bought two cucumbers as well. From California.

Hey, I'm not perfect. I've been working a lot and I fell powerless to a tub of tzatziki sauce from Trader Joe's. And I can't wait for dinner tonight! Gummy vegetables and all!