Summer meal in the dead of winter

My birthday was last week, and a few days beforehand Dave asked me if there was any special meal I wanted him to make for me. I started looking through recipes and nothing was really jumping out at me--I mean, I certainly like food, but nothing particularly exciting was coming to mind. Until I got to the fried green tomatoes.


I wasn't even sure Dave would be able to get them at this time of year, but Whole Foods came through. He made one too many, I think, so my sandwich was about six inches tall, with more on the side. (Not a problem, really.) He also put together this pasta salad, served with a bag of Zapp's. It was the perfect winter escape, and we ate it while daydreaming of warmer weather, long walks outside, and road trips upstate.