Pan Con Tomate

I first had Pan Con Tomate at Jaleo in DC. It’s a Jose Andreas restaurant that’s centrally located, unabashedly decorated in the modern Spanish style, and, in my humble opinion, super yummy. That’s a technical food term. Look it up.

So many things happened at her tables during what I now refer to as my “DC days” and the Pan Con Tomate saw it all. Dinners with colleagues. Dinners with colleagues who became friends. Dramatic political conversations. Connection and support with my DC Ladies Who Lobby. And one fateful night I won’t ever forget for so many reasons. Most of them bad.

Back then it was arguably the most popular thing on the menu. They even had to embargo the staff from ordering it for their shift meal because they kept running out. Why was it so delicious? Well, for starters they flew the flour in from Spain. I would ask the staff what other spell had been cast but they would swear up and down every time that no casting had taken place. It was simply an exquisite dish that let its ingredients shine. End of story.

Why am I thinking about this dish? That’s a good question. It’s turned quite warm outside and this is one of those perfect things to make in hot weather? It’s easy? I’d never made it before at home and thought what the heck I’ll give it a go? Those could be the reasons but I don’t think they are.

It’s very strange when you get to a point in your life where there are chapters. Pockets of time that have a beginning and an end and will never come again. School doesn’t count. I mean circumstances, jobs, relationships…… that when they began had no clear end in sight. Until they did. Even if you move on to something better or leave for all the right reasons the transition is hard. No one tells you that. As Americans we say “don’t look back” and are expected to turn on a dime and be happy. It doesn’t work that way.

As we emerge from COVID and endure yet another transition, I am reminded of all those that have come before in my life. Fate looks lowly upon coincidence and so, like so many times before, I’ve heeded her message and started to put one foot in front of the other again. As I mentioned before, not as easy as it looks but I’m trying.

I heard the actor, Tom Hanks, say in an interview once that the life lesson he wished he’d known sooner was (paraphrasing) that when you think everything is great and you have all the answers? This too shall pass. You feel terrible and lost? This too shall pass. That’s the real reason I wanted to make it. To remember it. Because…. that time, too, passed.

I haven’t lost anything. I haven’t failed. I’ve only lived and done the best I could. Now, I can only go forward.

Luckily, I march armed with crusty bread, ripe tomatoes, the subtle drama of garlic, and good drizzle of olive oil. There are tons of recipes for Pan con Tomate online but I like this one from Bon Appetit Magazine the best.

Cheers to transitions and all we learn from them.

K