El Verano de Chica Tomate (aka Tomato Girl Summer)
Two tomato-themed gems: the best salad you’ve never had, and the best practice technique you’ve never heard of
I’m currently coming at you from Monterrey, Mexico, where I’m spending the week in an orchestral residency as part of wrapping up my artist diploma with OAcademy!
The days have been super long and intense, but the spirits are overall high! It feels akin to the good ole music camp days filled with fast friendships with musicians from all over (20 countries represented in this orchestra!!) and a complete musical immersion. It’s energizing to be back in that kind of environment again, but it also makes me feel old… because the most formative summer of my life, my time at Interlochen, was exactly ten years ago.
An Ode to Interlochen
That 2015 summer in a hyper-talented, multi-disciplinary environment in the magical Michigan woods set me on my path to becoming an artist.
For one, the daily musical breakthroughs were intoxicating. I went from having played in an orchestra exactly once to being principal trumpet of the Interlochen Philharmonic. I’ll never forget my second placement audition where I had to perform the daunting Also Sprach Zarathustra excerpt. I just went for it—cracks and all—and our studio head, Mike, turned to me and said, “If I were going to war, I’d want you on my side.” That comment stuck with me. I was brave. I was chosen. I was a leader. I was improving every single day.
Furthermore, throughout the summer, my interests expanded from orchestral trumpet excerpts and concertos to the unknown: how oboe reeds are made, the physics of dance, the history of film, and more. I was no longer just a meathead trumpet player—I was becoming someone deeply engaged with the arts.
Our closing ceremony featured us performing Franz Lizst’s epic Les Préludes which ironically translates to The Beginnings. And just like they drew it up, it was indeed the end of camp, but the beginning of everything else, and the rest is history.
But I miss that fast and furious climb. Every milestone felt huge and thrilling. I loved being the chippy underdog, constantly surprising others—and myself. It was such a meteoric rise that escalated so quickly and it made me dream bigger. Within a few years, I went from chasing all-county and all-state band acceptances to making a soloist debut at Carnegie Hall, to soloing on national TV with my bestie Billy Ray Cyrus, to touring with Tootsie, to beating Dudamel for a Grammy. But the problem with winning a Grammy for an album that you recorded at 21, is that you peaked at fucking 21 years old.
Similarly, I felt a kind of post-Olympics blues when I returned to civilian life after a year on the road with Tootsie. I was immediately overwhelmed by a sense of being lost, confused, and unsupported. I deeply relate to the image of an exhausted, burnt-out child Olympic gymnast—discarded by her team in her early twenties after an intense, condensed stretch of formative life experiences.
Now, I’m trying to enter a new era—one where I continue to set ambitious goals, but also find peace in the long game. I'm learning to fall back in love with the process, not just the payoff. It’s a return to #beginnersmind.
And just like Interlochen, this week so far has been expanding my world in beautiful and unexpected ways. I’m playing gorgeous music at a high caliber, I’m exploring a beautiful country I’ve been wanting to visit for ages, and I’m connecting with amazing/talented/passionate/kind musicians from diverse backgrounds. I’ve said this before, but I believe the trumpet has been my greatest guide in life—opening doors to meaning, connection, and adventure.
There have been so many incredible takeaways just in the last few days of brass sectionals and orchestra rehearsals, but one principle that I was introduced to this week that I want to highlight is the Pomodoro Technique, which is a time management method named after the tomato-shaped timer that Francesco Cirillo, the technique’s creator, used. Pomodoro Technique breaks work into 25-minute focused intervals, called "pomodoros", separated by short deliberate breaks. After four pomodoros, a longer break is taken. This method helps improve focus and productivity while also preventing burnout.
We used this method during our brass sectionals, and during our breaks, our sectional leader, José, was adamant about us actually taking breaks—no sneaky practicing allowed. He stated that we absorb new information during rest.
I LOVE this concept that gains actually happen in moments of pause—whether in music, work, the gym, or life. Rest isn’t optional. Rest is productive. Rest is resistance.
So here’s to Interlochen, Monterrey, and pomodoros <3
El Verano de Chica Tomate
Speaking of pomodoros, I’m so excited to announce it’s officially Tomato Girl Summer, otherwise known as El Verano de Chica Tomate! And because ‘tis the season I’m thrilled to be sharing with you my #1 summer recipe: Molly Baz’s Peach and Tomato Salad with Sizzled Halloumi. The caprese salad hates to see her coming…
Peach and Tomato Salad with Sizzled Halloumi
Ingredients:
2 cups of ripe strawberries/peaches
1 pound ripe heirloom tomatoes
1 lemon
1 cup basil leaves
1 (8-ounce) piece halloumi cheese
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons yellow or brown mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Flaked sea salt for finishing
Directions:
Toast the mustard seeds: In a small saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons mustard seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook the seeds over medium heat, swirling the pan, until they begin to pop and become fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the oil into a large bowl, scraping any seeds and spices that stick to the saucepan into the bowl along with it; season the oil with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Prep the salad, adding the ingredients to the bowl of mustard seeds: Cut strawberries into wedges. Cut 1 pound tomatoes in half through the root end, then cut them into irregular wedge-shaped pieces. Cut 1 lemon in half and squeeze the juice of both halves into the bowl with the strawberries and tomatoes. Season with kosher salt and gently toss everything with your hands. Add 1 cup basil leaves and toss to combine. Give the salad a taste and make ant necessary seasoning adjustments. (More salt? More lemon?) Let this sit while you carry on.
Sear the halloumi: Cut 1 (8-ounce) block of halloumi in half on a diagonal to create 2 triangular pieces. Cut the halloumi into 1/2 -in- thick triangular planks. Break the planks in half and let them dry on a bed of paper towels to wick away some of the surface moisture. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halloumi in a single layer and seat until deeply brown on both sides and soft and melty inside, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Serve: Arrange the halloumi on a serving platter. Add the strawberries and tomatoes and pour any remaining vinaigrette over everything. Season with flaky sea salt.
Step aside Gigging Season, it’s Tomato Girl Summer and we are sooooo back!
Let’s hear it for the chicas tomates,
Yael