PEACH TOMATO BASIL SALAD

and

ROASTED GARLIC

Inspired by the way that the French present their food -- like art.

Freshness:

This one is easy. Slice the peaches and arrange in a neat pattern like a frame. Sprinkle with thinly sliced red onion (not too much), snippits of basil (mine was picked from a planter outside of Zorba's, next time I am getting it from the farmers market or a store), and drops of balsamic vinegar made slightly sweeter with some brown sugar and thinned slightly with olive oil. Chop tomatoes and pile in the center. Salt and pepper. Let sit before eating so that the flavors can combine.

The salad was just the start to a decadent meal of garlic roasted mashed potatoes, filet mignon, and a deliciously silky Saint Estephe red wine.

Garlicness:

Cut off the tops of the garlic to expose the cloves. Pour olive oil whatever the garlic will be baked in. Arrange the garlic cut side up. Fill the garlic generously with olive oil. Salt and pepper with abandon. I used a "sel fin de camargue aux herbes BIO" from Provence. Cook covered in foil at about 400 F for 20-30 minutes. When finished, the garlic cloves can be squeezed out of the bulb and will taste delicious.

Roughly Mash with boiled potatoes, a lot of butter, whole milk or cream, and a little more salt and pepper. Heaven.