make-believe: pasta night.

James grew up with an Italian mama with a particular prowess for pasta dinners and I promise you there are weeks when I have to remind him that one cannot subsist on pasta alone. Well maybe one can, but perhaps one should not. Anyway. I’ve been thinking lately that I kind of like the idea of having a ritual pasta night every week. There’d be special tunes playing during dinner prep, and aprons for the whole family, and a new shape of pasta to sample each week. Then last week Briar instagrammed a shot of this delightful pasta, and we struck gold at the market with fresh tomatoes, and a pasta-themed make-believe was born. Here’s what it would include:

1. An apron for protecting yourself from any tomato-y splatter* 2. An extra large colander for sloshing your perfectly al dente pasta. 3. Some extra-fancy pasta in a fantastic shape. 4. A sharp serrated knife that’s good for a crusty loaf and thin-skinned tomatoes, both. 5. A classic wooden spoon for mixing it all together. 6. Summer’s tasiest sungold tomatoes. 7. Special herbs, direct from Greece. 8. A low, wide pasta bowl to slurp from. 9. Maine sea salt for sprinkling liberally.

* I was recently sent this apron as a gift from Nine Space, and while I’m typically more of a throw-caution-to-the-wind kind of cook, it’s been nice to keep my whites…white.