Check out Karen Gaudette's Seattle Times story today re: prolonging the life of your produce. Among the helpful hints was a quote from supermarket anaylst and "Today" show food editor Phil Lempert, who says to better horde your harvest, stick with that old standby: paper towels. Lempert suggests layering a paper towel in the bottom of the crisper drawer (something I do) and regularly replacing it (something I don't do often enough) -- which helps remove excess moisture. "A paper towel is produce's best friend," he says. Anybody have any other produce life-enhancing tips? Feel free to comment, below.

Speaking of produce, in today's New York Times, Julia Moskin takes on one of my favorite subjects -- tomatoes that taste like tomatoes. In her tale "The Return of a Lost Jersey Tomato," she profiles that elusive fruit: the one whose mythic food-memory is deeply imprinted on this (adopted) "Jersey"-girl's soul. In its honor, I plan on eating this homegrown -- and appropriately "cold tolerant" -- Stupice for lunch today, with only a sprinkling of sea salt. If it tastes anything like the Jersey tomatoes of my girlhood, I'll eat my hat:

Annie Agostini -- born in Corsica, raised in Marseille and owner of Rainier Square's French restaurant and cabaret, Crepe de Paris -- will serve her last crepe July 31, lift a glass of Champagne and bid the restaurant business a fond adieu. "After 41 years, it's time," she says. "I need to retire, to rest my legs, my feet and my head." At 72, she deserves to do just that.