This week I was lucky enough to find Heirloom tomatoes at the Sunflower Market. I don't know about you, but the tomato I grew up with is nothing like the tomatoes we have access to at Farmer's Markets. I had no idea that tomatoes are not necessarily mealy, bland, pointless pieces of mush. After tasting my first heirloom, I was hooked!
I was super happy when I found these beauties on sale at the Sunflower. Too bad it was the last day of the sale and I had to scour through the few that were left to find a couple that weren't beat to hell. That's what happens when you don't genetically engineer a tomato to withstand traveling a thousand miles and sitting in a grocery store for a week without becoming a disaster. I was lucky to find two.
Fresh tomato sandwiches just taste like summer to me. I can, and do, eat them all summer long. They are easy, delicious, refreshing and if prepared with a light mayo and whole wheat, low cal. For lunch yesterday I prepared mine the usual way with the exception of using an onion bagel. Then for dinner I made another, this time I used good old white bread from Great Harvest and I have to say I like it better on white bread.
The key ingredients for the perfect tomato sammy are Heirloom tomatoes, mayo (both pieces of bread), sprinkle the tomato slices with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and reduced or aged balsamic, and some baby spinach. I used a 12 year aged balsamic that I bought at SLT. It is amazing but not cheap($30!)it will last forever though, just use it sparingly because it is potent! If you think spending that much on vinegar is stupid then just reduce some balsamic by simmering on the stove until the volume is half of what you started with. Warning: your house will smell like balsamic vinegar for a while, especially if you live in a teeny tiny one like me.
I was super happy when I found these beauties on sale at the Sunflower. Too bad it was the last day of the sale and I had to scour through the few that were left to find a couple that weren't beat to hell. That's what happens when you don't genetically engineer a tomato to withstand traveling a thousand miles and sitting in a grocery store for a week without becoming a disaster. I was lucky to find two.
Fresh tomato sandwiches just taste like summer to me. I can, and do, eat them all summer long. They are easy, delicious, refreshing and if prepared with a light mayo and whole wheat, low cal. For lunch yesterday I prepared mine the usual way with the exception of using an onion bagel. Then for dinner I made another, this time I used good old white bread from Great Harvest and I have to say I like it better on white bread.
The key ingredients for the perfect tomato sammy are Heirloom tomatoes, mayo (both pieces of bread), sprinkle the tomato slices with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and reduced or aged balsamic, and some baby spinach. I used a 12 year aged balsamic that I bought at SLT. It is amazing but not cheap($30!)it will last forever though, just use it sparingly because it is potent! If you think spending that much on vinegar is stupid then just reduce some balsamic by simmering on the stove until the volume is half of what you started with. Warning: your house will smell like balsamic vinegar for a while, especially if you live in a teeny tiny one like me.
For those of you who have never been lucky enough to sample an Heirloom get yourself to the Farmer's Market this summer and try one. I promise it will change how you feel about tomatoes.
Happy Eating!
-Natasha
No comments:
Post a Comment