Futurist Tomatoes

Yes, stacking. If you read the Manifesto of Futurist Cooking, you're struck by two thoughts. First, FT Marinetti was most definitely not a cook. Second, he's obsessed with geometric presentation of food, including slicing, shaping, and stacking different foods in impossible-to-serve towers.

Today, you can hardly go to a $50/plate restaurant without being served a stack of something. Futurist, indeed! If only Marinetti had lived to see it.

So, here's my little tribute to Futurist Cuisine and the glut of tomatoes we seem to currently have in California.

Futurist Tomato Salad

• Five or six large heirloom tomatoes, all different colors (green, yellow, orange, striped, etc.)
• 1lbs fresh mozzarella balls, sliced
• 1/2 bunch basil
• Balsamic vinegar
• High-end olive oil, preferably Italian
• Salt & Pepper

Slice the tomatoes about 1/2 inch thick. You want 24 large round slices total.

Put six slices of assorted colors on the platter. Place a large basil leaf, or two small ones, on each slice. Put a large slice of mozzarella on each. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Do this three more times, stacking, making sure not to repeat colors in any stack.

When your stacks are all made, drizzle all of them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, letting it run down onto the plate.

Give each diner a sharp knife so that they can cut their stack. Serves 3-6, depending.