The simple pleasure of simple food

Today's lunch was sliced tomatoes and sliced mozzarella, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. It took about five minutes to make and tasted of spring. I've been craving this (with one opportunity to eat it a few weeks ago in a restaurant) all winter. I'm not even a tomato-lover, but there is something about this combination that is so yummy. Spring does this to me. I've been gobbling down the first strawberries (now that there are actually ripe ones in the stores) and could eat asparagus daily (although it's been more like once a week since I like it so much more than my husband does). Eating seasonally makes ripe, fresh fruits and vegetables taste so much better. Part of it is they do taste better when local and picked fresh, but it also makes you appreciate food when you know you can only get it for a limited time. I refuse tomatoes when they're out of season (except for that one restaurant meal, but the tomatoes were at least grown in a greenhouse and ripe-ish). Same with strawberries, asparagus, berries, stone fruits and any other identifiable seasonal food. I try to only eat salmon when it's salmon season because I'd rather buy it fresh off the boat (and yes, I actually know where I can buy it from the boat-hands). I stay away from corn on the cob until high summer. No, I'm not perfect, I've admitted to buying some fruit from Latin American countries to relieve the boredom of apples and pears, but overall, I'm trying (and admittedly some are easier to do, peaches do not taste good if they're not from nearby, but I grew up with a peach tree and am spoiled). My point is more than just buying local and in season: it's also that when you buy what tastes best, you're more likely to eat it. And who can argue with buying the best fruits and vegetables?