I am nostalgic for the summers of my youth. In my mind, summer is carefree, filled with warm days and long afternoons turned-evenings with friends and family. In reality, summer is hurried and chaotic, trying to pin down childcare for working hours, or chauffeuring children to swimming, soccer and hula. It zips right by. I’ve never made a tartine before, but flipping through my recently acquired Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan made me realize there are ways to hold on to summer, and a tartine is one of them. This is not a quick, slather bread, add fillings and devour kind of sandwich. This is an opportunity for socializing, enjoying the company of those around you, relishing in the moment kind of sandwich. That said, you could whip the cheese and infuse the oil a day in advance, leaving only prep and making the tartines on the day of enjoying (if you do this, make sure you let the whipped cheese sit out to soften up before using). Using ripe locally grown fruits is important here – you want to taste the best of the season. You can decide to include only one kind of cheese, but I could not choose between the two. Each changes your perception of the sweet cherry tomatoes – one compliments while the other contrasts. So why not make both and savor the last days of summer.

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