Vegetable Gnocchi & Tomato Salad

20201108, “When your partner wants to become the baby, that's your cue to be the grown-up who holds them close. When you've had an unbearably hard day, that's your cue to act a little spoiled with your partner. Being able to regress, and being able to hold space for your partner's regression — that's an essential ingredient of a good romantic relationship.” (Choi Ba-ol, Why Love Makes Us Children Again) Office worker, youngest at get-togethers with seniors and juniors, someone's daughter or son, someone's wife or husband at home — we live wearing all kinds of personas. Keeping up different personas while staying composed isn't easy. That's part of why a protagonist with dozens of personas, like in the movie 'Identity,' makes for such dramatic material. Anyway, they say a bit of healthy regression between partners is a good defense mechanism against the anxiety and stress of juggling so many personas — which might explain why being a little clingy and silly with someone you love is forgivable after all. -Wash the caipira lettuce thoroughly and cut into bite-sized pieces. (Any leafy green like lettuce or arugula would work well too.) -Boil #gnocchi in salted water, drain, add olive oil, and toss well -Heat olive oil in a pan and blanch the prettiest #tomatoes in the world. -Pan-toasted walnuts, plus a dressing of olive oil, white wine vinegar, and whole-grain mustard -Grana Padano cheese, and pepper, pepper, pepper, pepper, pepper