I have yet to find an out of season tomato that comes close to the wonderful taste of the mid summer fruit. Once the season starts, I enjoy tomatoes in almost every form. It doesn't take much, a dash of salt does just fine.

My favorite tomato salad makes for an excellent and very easy to prepare main course or side dish to a wonderful summer meal on the deck. The rice wine vinegar mixes with the juices of the tomatoes and avocado creates an easy and low calorie dressing.

Heirloom tomato verities make a great addition to this salad. They have some wonderful and subtle flavors. I tend to use fewer ingredients when I use these types of tomatoes and not mask the wonderful flavors.

Ingredients: (there are no magic proportions here)

• 3 large tomatoes cut into 3/4" chunks
• 3 green onions with some of the green or some Walla Walla sweet onion
• 1 Tbs. or more chopped Italian parsley
• I Haas avocado cut into 3/4" chunks
• 1 cucumber, green pepper, bay shrimp or?
• A few dashes of Rice Wine vinegar
• Salt and Pepper

Preparation: Mix the ingredients in a bowl, taste and adjust ingredients and seasoning but don't overwhelm the taste of the tomatoes.

Serving suggestions: For a nice lunch this salad goes very well with a loaf of crusty bread, some soft of semi-soft cheeses (Morbier, Gouda) and a glass of red wine. Also goes well as a side dish to cracked-crab, baked Salmon or Halibut and fresh corn on the cob.

For Breakfast? The traditional Israeli breakfast consists of a variety of fresh vegetables, cheeses, hard boiled eggs, sardines and a salad like this. If there are any salad leftovers, I enjoy eating them on the following morning.