By the time I was 21 you couldn’t convince me to eat these two things: A dill pickle, and a raw tomato. While I still stand by the dill pickle, I will eat one on occasion if in the middle of a fried chicken sandwich. The later, thankfully, I’ve seen the error of my ways.
I was on summer break from college when my mom handed me half of her sandwich. I saw nothing but white bread, an obscene amount of mayo, salt and fresh cracked pepper. My college diet consisted of pizza, pop tarts, and the oatmeal cookies I’d bake up when I missed home. I was in no position to pass up real food. So, I took a bite.
The warm juice from the garden tomato spilled down the webs of my fingers and I licked a glob of mayo/pepper from the corner of my mouth. This wasn’t just a tomato sandwich; it was a holy experience.
“You haven’t had a tomato until you’ve had a summer tomato” and she was correct, as moms tend to be.
The warm tomato sandwich is the reason I grow tomatoes in my own garden every summer. So, I can sit out on my back porch with a tomato sandwich, heavy on the mayo, light on the bread. If I have any luck, the tomato is still hot from the sun. And this summer, there’s been plenty of luck. My garden has never been so overrun with tomatoes.
Today I’m using a square from a focaccia I was testing but on a usual day it’s white, country bread, or buttermilk. Don’t toast the bread. You want it soft. Lather on a layer of mayo to your preference.
Slice a garden tomato. Today this Mortgage Lifter (yes, that’s the name of the tomato) was ready for the taking. Deep red all the way through. Sprinkle with flur de sel, and crack pepper directly over the top. The juices will start flowing.
Layer on top of the mayo and close the sandwich. You won’t regret one minute of this experience. I’d suggest a pairing of diet coke and salted kettle chips. A crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a wedge of brie will work too. It’s casual. It’s expensive.
Now take it outside – a back porch, a garden, the front door, a nearby park. Eat. Slurp. Lick. And be thankful.
Casey
I love tomato sandwiches. I like my bread toasted lots of mayo, sea salt and fresh pepper. Try adding some sliced cucumbers preferably fresh from the garden.