Live in Southern California. This step is important.
Go to the farmer's market. Pass the $5-a-lb heirloom tomato lady several times. Do nothing. As you are about to leave, approach her table, dig around in your pocket for the last time, place two tomatoes on her scale, then fork over your last $10, $3 of it in change. Go home. Lie to your spouse about how much they cost. Place salt on a nice piece of china. Cut up tomatoes, dip them in the salt and eat them. Regret nothing.
Turns out you can substitute 'live in Northern California' for Step #1 without doing too much violence to the essence and soul of this recipe. Thanks for your dauntless courage and relentless researching skills.
This just might be the best recipe I've ever seen. Well, maybe a very close #2. I'm kind of committed to Lawrence Ferlinghetti's Recipe For Happiness Khaborovsk Or Anyplace as #1... A ripe heirloom tomato (or 2) are very difficult to turn down, at any price. I'm patiently waiting for them to arrive.
Because I have a black thumb, I usually buy heirloom tomatoes at the farmers' market. I feel like I need to mortgage my house every time I do so! Hah. But the taste does make it worth every penny.
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