Too High on the Hog

Sometimes I just can't stop myself - shoe sales, awful sci-fi trilogies, cocktails, good pad thai, whatever. I generally consider my overindulgence a charming peccadillo, indicative of nothing more than healthy exuberance. Occasionally, though, there are consequences, particularly when the object of my excessive zest is summer produce.

I mentioned my affection for tomatoes. I also mentioned that I planned to make corn again (I did, and it is damn fine). I did not, however, mention the ten-pound watermelon we bought at Sunday's market. I love watermelon. In my book, a perfect watermelon - crisp, dense, sweet and juicy - runs a close second to a perfect fig in the hierarchy of foods that I could happily eat for every meal. So I was brimming with anticipation when I cut into our melon yesterday morning, because, while a great watermelon is a splendid thing, a bad one - mealy, bland, dry - is just trash, and I was thrilled to discover that this watermelon was nigh on perfect. Seriously, among the top fifteen watermelons I've ever eaten. To make it even better, the enormous fellow who sold us the melon sounded like a muppet on steroids. I heard him from across the market and knew immediately that I must buy whatever he was selling. When we asked him if the melon we picked would be a good one, he said, "Should be. Sugar baby." I was pleased by his brief speech not only because it sounded like it had been squeezed through some heretofore unknown orifice, like a snurzleplotz perhaps, but also because I thought he was paying me a compliment. Later I realized that "sugar baby" was the variety of melon. Still.

So, for the last two days, I've feasted on corn, tomatoes, and watermelon almost exclusively. There was one fillet of pan-fried catfish and two pieces of pizza (I made the pesto and the whole wheat dough with my own little hands), but otherwise I've remained ardently faithful to the holy trinity of summer produce. Hence the consequences. Let's just say that I won't be straying far from the apartment today. And while I'm sure that I'll go right on enjoying summer's bounty, I think I'll also try to incorporate a bit more variety. Cheese, anyone?