The simpler, the better when it comes to using in-season tomatoes is my way of thinking. I like them sliced on a plate, in a salad, and on a sandwich. I like them at every meal. There's nothing tastier beside a breakfast egg than a thickly sliced tomato. I am not yet ready to surrender them to cooked sauces. That will come later.
My mother did not like "restaurant tomatoes". She found them to be tasteless--not "properly" raised. So, when going out to eat when tomatoes were in season, she'd slip a juicy tomato and a paring knife into her purse. When her plate came to table, she'd pull out the tomato and slice it onto her plate.
Here is a favorite lunch at our house. With the Indian flatbread, naan, so readily available now, I keep some in the freezer. This sandwich would be equally good on ciabatta or, pared down, an English muffin. Just plain bread works too.
Tomato Sandwich
1 naan per person
A nice mixture of heirloom tomatoes
Fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil
1. Slightly toast the naan.
2. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella and pop under the broiler.
3. Arrange the thinly sliced tomatoes over the melted cheese.
4. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves.
ENJOY!
1 naan per person
A nice mixture of heirloom tomatoes
Fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil
1. Slightly toast the naan.
2. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella and pop under the broiler.
3. Arrange the thinly sliced tomatoes over the melted cheese.
4. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves.
ENJOY!
What a cute story about your mother. She is right about restaurant tomatoes, they aren't all that good. To make it worse, often they are cold from being refrigerated.
ReplyDeleteLove your tomato sandwich on naan bread. A real winner.
Sam
I agree with your mom about tomatoes in restaurants, rarely are they anything other than hard and tasteless even when in season. Many restaurants in our area are part of the Farm to Table initiative so use only local produce which makes a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteMy mouth is watering!! NOTHING like a good tomato sandwich!! (I have to confess to enjoying a fresh white bread and mayo, too) ;) blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteOh my mom was such a tomato person too..She would have shared your mom's tomato..
ReplyDeleteI agree though..I am a lover of tomatoes.. and some taste like tomatoes..some taste like cardboard..
beautiful to look at and to eat while looking.
ReplyDeleteSeason perfection!
ReplyDeleteOh how I love fresh 'maters' this time of year. We are getting them locally now --and YUMMMMMM.... I like them just sliced with some seasalt on my plate.
ReplyDeleteBUT--I'll admit that I love 'mater' sammiches too --with MAYO and white bread... (That's a NO-NO for me these days... Dang it.)
Another thing I love in Summer is the tiny little cucumbers... Many people use them for pickling--but we just cut them and eat them with dinner. They have a much better taste than the BIG cukes IMO....
Thanks for the recipe.
Hugs,
Betsy
I have not had a good summer tomato yet ... I must get to the Farmer's Market this week. This looks so delicious and easy.
ReplyDeleteFondly,
Glenda
So good, so simple. We have not had a tomato ripen yet, although the stalks are hanging full. Soon....
ReplyDeleteI share you and your Mom's feelings on tomatoes. They are tasteless unless in season. I wish I had a hot house to grow them all year!!
ReplyDeleteI have so many that we are eating them with every meal too. And we will never tire of them, the way we do zucchini! In fact, I think we will have BLT's tonight!
xo Kris
This is so beautiful! But better than that, I really love the story abut your mom! It reminds me of the story about when Carol Channing the actress put a pork chop in her purse and ate it during a play!!
ReplyDeleteLike you I love tomatoes any way you want to serve them. I love the first tomato sandwich of the season. Yum!
ReplyDeleteYou really write it all out so well it makes my mouth water. I had something similar for lunch. Our tomatoes are abundant now but I too would rather eat them fresh.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great lunch! I'm still waiting for my garden tomato on white bread with mayo, S&P... I believe it's in my very near future:@)
ReplyDeleteI have always been tempted to do what your mom did. I always wonder why some restaurants have such terrible vegetables even in the summer months...when fresh veggies are so available.
ReplyDeleteYour sandwich makes my mouth water.
Balisha
We've had a few tomatoes from the garden (oh, so good!) but the majority are still green.
ReplyDeleteyum yum yum - I could just LIVE on this :))
ReplyDeleteMary x
I love the story about your mother! My mom loves tomatoes too, but I never saw her carry one in her purse. :) That's a gorgeous sandwich- I only wish I loved tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your mother, there is nothing like a home grown tomato and there is nothing like one warm from the garden sliced on a sandwich like yours!
ReplyDelete