“You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook’s year. I get more excited by that than anything else.”
~ Mario Batali
Those are the moments that define the gardener’s year, and the food preserver’s year, too. I gave up eating out-of-season tomatoes years ago so we wait all year to pluck that first plump and delicious tomato from the vine.
It’s harvest time now and the tomatoes are heavenly! They’re best eaten fresh (A tomato sandwich is my lunch of choice these days!) and I preserve many for the winter months. (I don’t buy store-bought tinned tomatoes either.). My life, over the next few weeks, will be busy as I can plain tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato soup, vegetable soup, salsa, spaghetti sauce, and whatever else might strike my fancy.
Let tomato season commence!
Today’s featured blog: http://www.cathysly.com/blog/
(Don’t forget every comment on the blog in August enters your name into the drawing for either a copy of the beautiful Bella Grace magazine or my book Two Hearts: An Adoptee’s Journey Through Grief to Gratitude.)
Tomato sandwiches are my summer lunch, too. However, I don’t have much luck growing my own. Thankfully, they are in abundance at our farmer’s markets. Happy Monday to you, Linda!
I love shopping the Farmer’s Markets and supporting local growers. I have six behometh heirloom plants that are taller than me. I’ll also purchase some locally grown tomatoes from the market to supplement. There’s nothing like fresh in-season tomatoes, is there? Have a great day, Karen!
Love the way you picture perfectly depicts what will be on your agenda over the coming days. I totally agree. Nothing like the tomato that comes right off the vine, and being able to pick in your own back yard is fabulous.
Oooh, I love a tomato sandwich made with buttered bread, a fresh garden tomato, and salt. Have you ever tried canning pizza sauce? We have a really awesome recipe I would be happy to share.
I have not done pizza sauce, Lucinda. I would love to have your recipe! Thank you!
Mom’s going to dig it out of her recipes for me, and I will email it to you.
Thank you so much. And please thank your mom too!
Yum, fresh tomatoes or really any vegetable pulled fresh from a garden are divine…
I couldn’t agree more, Karen!
A wonderful memory for me is walking across dew drenched lawns to my dad ‘s greenhouse in ‘tomato season ‘ opening the door and feeling that warmth and smelling that sweet earthy aroma selecting a tomatoe , twist , puts is spider( as I called it ) under my nose and eat mmmmmm bliss . Come back dad …I can’t grow them they are rubbish again this year . Any hints Linda ?
Cherryx
What a wonderful and precious memory! Tomatoes do love the heat. Mine are behind this year, and they are not producing as much as prior years, because we are having a wonky summer that’s not as hot as usual. That’s the thing about gardening. Every year is a different adventure!
My mom used to make us “mater” sandwiches when we were kids – we’d be traveling to “maw maws” house – tomato and mayo on white bread – a “southern staple” I guess 😀
I remember those exact sandwiches from my childhood, Kat! These days I forgo the mayo but still have to have white bread–preferably homemade!
Ah….slab ot tomato, white bread, gobs of mayo. Used to eat those with Mom, so good memories all around.