Ratatat.

Ratatat. Ratatouille !

This was a dish that I made for my very first catering job, so I had to place my ever so guarded trust in Julia Child once more.

Ratatouille. A vegetable dish consisting of peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onions and tomatoes in an aromatic sauce that fills your house with smells of absolute love.

I sautéed each veggie in their own pad of butter, seasoning carefully with salt and pepper as I went along. I removed each vegetable before the next was added, repeating the steps.

Finally you get to the onions and peppers, when suddenly your house is smelling slightly like a smoking, sizzling fajita. Add the sliced tomatoes, and you're transported to another place, sofrito, delicious tantalizing aromas tickled my nose.

Assembling the dish was the artistic bit, layering upon layering of flavors and colors.

I wound up with fresh, colorful, firm but tender slices of vegetables that "met for a brief communal simmer" to lend each other a hand.

Here it is:

One word comes to mind:

Yum.