THE TASTE OF HISTORY

"Soup," the Ladies Village Improvement Society cookbook authors advised, "is not typical of Old East Hampton fare." "Pretty thin fodder," they called it in their 70th anniversary cookbook.

"Hearty outdoor appetites of farmer-fishermen required plenty of meat and 'taters and pie. Soups and salads were frills imported to please the summer boarders who began coming in numbers more than a century ago."

Nonetheless, with summer's rubies ripening just about now, this might be a fine time to consider:

TOMATO BOWL

6 large ripe tomatoes, skinned and cut into very small pieces
1 white onion
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsps. chopped fresh dill
1 tsp. curry
5 Tbsps. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. minced parsley

Mince the onion and add to the tomatoes, along with the salt and pepper. Mix, and chill until very cold. (Can be prepared the day before.) Serve in chilled bowls, topped with a mixture of the remaining ingredients.

This makes an excellent first course.

Mrs. Allan MacDougall