Note next time I make this I will whirl the tomatoes and then add other ingredients.

Happy first hot day of the summer! Why am I wearing a cardigan? I don’t know! How long do air conditioning units last? I think mine’s broken, or else the filter is unhappy. But I’m super happy because hot weather, besides making blow-drying one’s hair absolutely excruciating and sweaty enough to basically be pointless, means there will most likely be tomatoes at the farmers market this weekend. And that means tomatonaise sandwiches.

What is tomatonaise? It’s my secret summer weapon. It’s just super-ripe tomatoes food-processed, or immersion-blended, with mayo, salt and pepper in a ratio that only you can dictate. If it’s more tomatoey, it’s an amazing spread or finishing touch on fish. If it’s more mayo-esque, it’s also an amazing spread on a simple sandwich like leftover baked ham or sharp cheddar. If it’s chunkier, it’s a nice little salad with some basil. You cannot lose. Unless you don’t like tomatoes or mayonnaise, and some people don’t. Crazy people.

Here are some other things you can do with tomatonaise, other than loading it into a baguette and eating the whole thing:

• Toss it with shredded chicken for a super-juicy and flavorful closer-to-vegetarian tomato chicken salad. Nobody said Meatless Monday was about cold turkey. Ooh! Tomato turkey salad!
• Top your burger with it = ketchup pouts in the corner. Pouts harder when the party turns into a pizza burger.
• Top your meatball sandwich with it = tomato sauce pouts in the corner.
• Mix with pasta and anything that goes with pasta or tomatoes (slow pitch right there) and chill for pasta salad.
• Introduce it to brie.