TOMATOES

Andrea and Mac came with me for my third week of chemo. At this point in the cycle my white blood counts are usually too low to continue so I get a week off. Almost immediately after they remove the needle, I start to feel better. Since I was feeling good, Andrea and I went to the farmer's market and got stuff to make lunch and dinner. This is the first good tomato I've had this year. Andrea made it just the way I like it: salt, pepper and mayo on spongy white bread.

Ira, Georgia, Susan and Myrna joined us for dinner. I had read in a book about recovering from surgery that there was nothing healthier than a fish stew, so that's what Andrea made. Tomatoes, fennel, monkfish, halibut (just because), mussels and clams, served with toast to sop it up. Not having a stomach means I can't eat as much as I wanted to, but I went back for seconds after I digested the first round.

Dessert was fruit and cheese. My favorite was a date stuffed with ricotta (sweetened with honey) and topped with a sprinkle of esspresso.