The other day Fabien Phillip, the grower at the Marché de Saxe where I go twice a week, came up to me and said “Susan, I’ve got a few tomatoes if you want some.”  He pointed around the back of his stand, and there, indeed, were just a few gorgeous little missile-shaped things of bright red with a yellow base.  Some were split from the rain, but I chose several un-split tomatoes, got home, sliced and sprinkled them with salt, strew over a few basil leaves, added a drizzle of olive oil and sat right down to breakfast.
 
It will be a week or two before we’re fully into the summer produce season, of tomatoes, eggplant, and local fruit, but while we wait – and perhaps sample things from further afield – we have herbs galore to brighten up dishes and bring the season to the plate.  Their season has arrived.

The question begs, though, which herbs for what? 

I gathered many in order to demonstrate the best ones for specific dishes. But guess what?  Each herb has its own, very large and complete universe of flavor and texture which means that it is hard to specify.  I know instinctively which herbs to use when but in examining how to explain my instinct I realize it has as much to do with the day, my mood, the weather, and the food I am flavoring than any “rule”.