This weekend I made pesto. I got a new mortar and pestle from Crate and Barrel, a wooden one. I really wanted a marble one, but the marble versions I could afford were teensy, so I got a giant wood one. I used Amanda Hesser's pistou recipe from The Cook and the Gardener (according to her, the difference between pistou and pesto is French basil vs. Italian, French olive oil vs. Italian- mine involved Italian basil grown on my balcony and Californian olive oil. I don't know what the California version would be, so I'm calling it pesto) and far too much salt. Still, on a crusty La Brea Bakery baguette with prosciutto, mozzarella, and fresh tomato, it's very good. I had some of the leftover on the same leftover bread with grated pecorino romano on top. Pop that in the toaster oven and you get what I'd call a perfect snack.