"The Usual"

Greg and I spent an awesome weekend in Boise.  I must say, I'm in love with that town.  I think I could live my life there.
Anyways, we went to all of our favorite hotspots for dining (Red Feather, Protos, Java) and even tried out some new places (Fork, Bittercreek Ale House).  They were all to-die-for!  We also went to the farmers market.  I really should have taken some pics because Boise has a really impressive farmers market.  This is the best time of the year to get all your produce locally.  Boise has their market twice a week, which is even more convenient!  You can stock up on your weekly goods or even buy in abundance and preserve.  This is the time of year that we have a bounty of goods!  So take full advantage of this little sliver of time, where we can have fresh, local food.  Here's some of the loot I picked up at the market:

Ahhh, fresh, homegrown tomatoes.  They are heavenly, but I haven't always held this opinion.  Growing up I thought people who ate raw tomatoes had a serious problem.  Well like most things edible, I have learned to love them.  BUT the junk we can buy at the grocery store does not do a tomato justice.  So stock up on some local tomatoes and stay tuned for some stellar recipes this week.

I'm going to break it to you gently.  I stocked up on tomatoes at the market, for one major reason.  I wanted to re-create "The Usual," which is a breakfast you can order at Java Coffee in Boise.  It's simple, delectable, and addicting.  So as soon as you can, try this out!
Here's what you need:

Fresh tomato

Fresh ground pepper

Cream cheese ( I use lowfat/neufchatel)

 A bagel, I used whole wheat but "everything" bagels would be delish, too (This is what Java uses).

Simply toast that yummy hunk of dense bread, spread with cream cheese, top with sliced tomato and fresh ground pepper.  There's breakfast.    You could also play around with an herbed cream cheese.  Trust me on this one, you will love it.
Cheers! D