Dear immune system, why must you hate EVERYTHING so?

•carrots
•tomatoes
•hazelnuts
•pistachios

That's the final list. Of them, I eat all but pistachios on a near daily basis.

The allergist said I could try keeping only cooked tomatoes, but I've been carrotless for a week and a half, raw tomato-less for several days and am still itchy, so I'm afraid even cooked tomatoes will go.

I'll think about these again in several years, after I've had another hormonal shift.

Until then, I'll amuse myself by coming up with alternatives to catsup. Nomato is out--it's primarily made of carrots. I'm going to try roasting peppers and a beet and then mixing them, cooking them, reducing them with some spices and sugar, pureeing . . . . we'll see. I bet I can manage a reasonable sludgy sauce o'savory supremity.

I wasn't tested for any other nightshades and I won't worry about them unless the itchiness of doom doesn't settle. So tomatillos and peppers are still my friends. For now. I found some salsa verdo that is free of tomatoes. Thank god. And instead of growing my beloved tomato plants this year, I'll plant pineapple tomatillos and other ground cherries.

I reserve the right to break into tears this July and August when the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes are in season.