I now think of grape and cherry tomatoes as dessert. These guys are popping with sweetness that stings, but just a little bit. I am learning how versatile these babies are, and the many dimensions of their personalities, wherever they show up.

As I’ve already confessed, I passed up the grape tomatoes served to us at the ends of our meals when we were in Taipei earlier this summer. The reason? Because I thought they came at the wrong time in the meal. Tomatoes belong on either greens or pasta and as a first or second course. Then one day I figured I might have something to learn. I picked off a handful as the platter went past.

Those little bursts of life gave me a new view of dessert. I was full of spring-time flavor, all thoughts of chocolate banished by the surprising brightness.

Last week our older daughter treated Merle and me to a meal from her kitchen. It was a Father’s/Mother’s Day dinner, and each bite was splendid.

She filled every inch of a skillet’s bottom with grape tomatoes and cooked them until just before they burst. Then she spun them and a few herbs and olive oil into pasta. I went sailing off somewhere into blue-sky heaven with each mouthful.

Here’s the blog, “Simply Recipes,” offering what Elise calls “tomato candy,” this one a Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad recipe.

Here's the link to the recipe:

Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad