Sometimes I am a vegetarian, but not when there is a good cured salame on the table.  It has a lot of fat and a lot of salt, and the history of being a pig before it was a salame, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.  You know what else it has?  Flavor.  If I have a few slices of salame a week, I figure I can make up for it by growing a head of lettuce in a milk carton, and still stay within the range of “responsible human.”

Dinner in less than five minutes:  Slice a good Saucisson (try Marca el Ray) as thinly as you can.  Slap a few slices onto a beautiful baguette (or anything that truly moves you) that has been buttered on one side with cold, unsalted butter and top with sliced cornichon, and then another piece of bread.

Or if you happen to be in Italy then use Finocchiona on Pane Normale, no dressing, no butter, no pickle needed.(not in Italy?!!!  Well then come–there are still a few spots available with Faye Delicious, June 27th to July 4th.  Check fayefood.com/cookingclass for more info.)

On the side, Chateau Vieux Bomale from a bag in a box.
Or for the Italy lovers–my favorite bag in box is a Tuscan Shiraz, from Casa Gialla in Camucia, across the street from the nursery, in case you need to cheat and buy a head of lettuce already in the dirt.

On the other side, you could have a salad of slivered fennel, parsley leaves, trevissio (a long leafed radiccio), endive and a mustard vinaigrette.

And on the other side of that?  Find someone to make you a chocolate mousse.