I love Melissa Clark.  I love her perkiness, her positivity and her brisk pragmatism.  I also love her New York apartment, if that indeed is her apartment.  But what I especially love, in the video below, is her gutsiness to stand in front of the camera and bite heartily into the slightly sloppy sandwich she has just made (while bits of tomato fall into the sink.)

Here in Paris, I’m enjoying the second week of my vacation.  Yesterday we had a heatwave, but today is considerably cooler.   I’m feeling a tad guilty this afternoon because instead of working on my book project (which is the reason why I took 10 days vacation), I’m watching New York Times videos and Melissa Clark making a sandwich. (Lesson number one for writers – before you start writing, disconnect from the internet!!) 

I just bought a quarter loaf of Poilâne bread this morning.  I have some ripe market tomatoes and red onions on hand, so I’ll make a sandwich too.  I’m not sure that I’d add mayonnaise though.  Maybe some fresh basil leaves or a smear of pesto.

Stay tuned for my next post – I’m off to Lille on Friday for the annual flea market.

OK, I’m disconnecting now.  très bonne semaine.  Here’s Melissa –

http://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000003878616/tomato-sandwiches.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=timesvideo-heading&module=watch-in-times-video&region=video-player-region&WT.nav=video-player-region