Though we haven’t had much of a summer in San Francisco this year, thankfully there has been a summer in the rest of Northern California, yielding wonderful dry farmed Early Girl tomatoes. Bruschetta is a classic appetizer that features fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic. To incorporate the garlic, I use a mortar and pestle and grind the cloves together with salt. The dish incorporates the crunch of the toasts, the sweetness of the tomatoes and basil, and the spiciness of the garlic.

Bruschetta

Toasts

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 baguette, sliced thin

Instructions:

1. Slice baguette.
2. Bring a cast iron skillet to medium heat.
3. Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil.
4. Place the oiled side of the bread down in the skillet.
5. Press down on the bread so that the surface is pressed against the pan.
6. Remove the bread once toasted.