Tuesday, June 26, 2012

"maters"

My family loves tomatoes--ripe tomatoes.  I remember standing barefoot in the hot red clay of my dad's garden biting into a warm tomato and feeling the juice run down my chin.  Can't say I like the sticky chin anymore, but that is the beauty of grape tomatoes. My husband or I can just walk by the garden and grab a snack. We like to grow different types of tomatoes but celebrity and grape are our favorites with a couple of heirloom plants thrown in there for fun.



Resist those crunchy mealy things offered in the middle of the winter. Wait for a tomato that slightly yields to the touch and has never seen a refrigerator. That is a ripe tomato.

Late June in Virginia and the tomato season is starting. My kitchen and my tastebuds are waiting.



Some of my favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes
Roasted Grape Tomtoes
Throw (gently) some tomatoes on a baking sheet. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and some chopped fresh rosemary, salt and pepper to taste, roast in a 425 degree oven about 10 minutes.

Tomato Salad
 No measurements required. Slice tomatoes, whatever type of onion you have or want (green, purple, white) and put them in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk olive oil and lemon juice or favorite vinegar with a 2 to 1 ratio and add to bowl. You also can add sliced peppers and/or cucumbers. We like to add fresh dill too.

Fresh Tomatoes with feta
That says it all. Slice tomatoes on a plate. Put as much feta cheese on there as you like. Drizzle with olive oil. Add desired amount of salt, pepper and oregano.

Enjoy the season! I know we will!

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