Ratatouille: an homage to summer's bounty

Leave chips out on the bar or coffee table and allow guests to nibble as they arrive.

^{There are lots of recipes out there for Ratatouille because the joy is that there is a lot of flexibility in the ingredients. This one, however, from the Silver Palate Cookbook is quite well known as “the best.” And if you don’t own this book, you should, if not just for their famous chicken marbella.}

_{ok ok— if you can master the famous Tartine bread, then you’ve got a profitable business on your hands. An easy substitute is to pick up a good loaf of country bread- make it local and high quality.}

_{Serve lightly toasted with salted butter, such as this.}