Laptop Lunches #216

Banana chips with a tiny cup of caramel hazelnut spread for dipping, half a tangerine with the seeds removed, cherry tomato halves tossed with fresh mozzarella (I debated doing a basil vinaigrette over this, but decided I didn't have time), half a small pear, olive tapenade, rolls of ham, and cheddar flavored rice-almond crackers.
I have rarely been able to eat raw pears, but this one was really nice--not too soft. I'm glad I braved it. Plus it had a nice color contrast going on, no?

I think the ham, olive tapenade, and crackers were too salty overall to be had together; I needed something plainer. But it still tasted good.

An aside, in mini-rant form: Why do tangerines have so many seeds? You couldn't possibly just cut this into wedges the way I typically do with oranges--you'd get a seed in every bite that way, maybe two or three. I realize my oranges are bred for that, but still. You'd think each tangerine tree wanted to reproduce itself thousands of times over every year. Relax, tangerine tree, relax!