Breakfast the...the...wow, I miss having a real breakfast....

      The diet continues for both the spouse and myself.  No flapjacks.  No muffins.  No soufflés.  No hash.  It's enough to break one's spirit...I swear the characters in my stories are having more scenes eating food than ever before, I'm living vicariously through their fictional lives and I'm pretty sure that's not 100% psychologically healthy.
      Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't have a recipe up over the weekend, but we've been eating fruit and poached eggs for breakfast for a couple weeks now.*  One tiny "cheat" last week was a Caprese salad, because we hadn't had one all summer and my favorite tomato vendor said her produce was at it's peak.  So here's a photo.

If that doesn't look like summer to you, you are not eating enough fresh produce.

      The secret to a great Caprese salad isn't in the presentation, or the proportions, or anything like that.  It's all about freshness: the freshest basil, the freshest tomato (I like heirlooms, of course), and really fabulous quality Mozzerella cheese (I prefer Buffalo).  For me, I sprinkle with a bit of sea salt, and then pass quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar so people can drizzle to taste.  And yes, you could totally serve this for brunch, it goes very nicely with a plain omelette.  Just make sure you have excellent Italian bread to soak up the juices!
      Completely changing the topic, yesterday was National Black Cat Appreciation Day!  Why the heck does such a thing exist, you may ask?  Because black cats are always the last to be adopted and - sad to say - the first to be euthanized when shelters become over crowded.  This is partly because all-black fur doesn't photograph well (Black Labs and other all-black breeds of dog are also slow to be adopted), but mostly because of absurd superstition.  As a person who has owned no fewer than two black cats, I can promise you they've "crossed my path" many times, and I'm a pretty fortunate individual in the grand scheme of things.  So Luna got extra loves and attentions yesterday, and here is one of her glamour shots, along with a plea to adopt your pets from shelters rather and breeders, and take a second look at all those ebony beauties just waiting for their fur-ever homes!

She's saying, "Why are people prejudiced against black kitties? Aren't I cute and fuzzy and pretty and fuzzy and sweet and fuzzy and purry and fuzzy???"

*And occasionally 1/2 C granola with skim milk. My stars, such indulgence.