Take out the fine china, and make a beautiful plate to welcome home the weary traveler. Here I used cherry tomatoes, focaccia bread, smoked cheddar cheese, a pluot with blackberries, and some sliced avocado.

Doug had been out of town traveling for a few days and wouldn’t arrive home until late into the evening. I’m very familiar with the traveler’s diet—catching little snacks at O’Hare, or grabbing a scone at Starbucks, and perhaps splurging for a bag of peanuts on the airplane. And when you land, your body is fervently craving fresh anything, especially fruits and vegetables. Since I was picking him up from the airport and wouldn’t be home to prepare a meal in advance, I shopped for raw, in-season produce, a fresh bread and a complex cheese, all of which I was able to slice up and plate in just a few minutes while Doug unpacked the kids’ souvenirs.