June 4, 2006

It was the opening day of Polo season and Kim, Walter, and I knew that the best game would be at the Haleiwa Polo Club. Knowing that we would be barred entry from the “official club” (a tent with some folding chairs and tables with a guy selling hot dogs and beer); we decided to throw together a little hamper. Always eager to find ways of sneaking alcohol into otherwise perfectly healthy food, our menu began with Bloody Mary Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes. (If you’re ever simply dying to confuse a pharmacist but don’t know how, ask them if you can buy a single syringe strong enough to shoot vodka into a tomato – it gets ‘em every time). We followed the tomatoes with Smoked Tuna Salad Stuffed Hothouse Cucumber Cups, and of course, the Black Dates of Mordor. We packed the hamper, grabbed the sunscreen, and we were off to the North Shore. We found a shady spot facing the center of the field, and watched the pretty ponies run back and forth. It was a perfectly civilized way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Bloody Mary Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Your Favorite Bloody Mary Mix
Vodka
Cherry Tomatoes
1 Syringe “a little bigger than the size diabetics use for insulin."

Blend the Bloody Mary mix and vodka to your preferred strength. Allow the mixture to sit overnight. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove horseradish, black pepper, etc. If solid bits remain, strain again, but line the sieve with a piece of rinsed cheesecloth. Fill the syringe with the vodka. Insert the needle into the “belly button” of the tomato (otherwise the tomato cracks open). Inject vodka until it is shooting out of the tomato back at your face. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes until to run out of either tomatoes or vodka. Shame on you for not buying enough vodka!