We are nearing the end of August and the end of summer here in
New York. Even though I love the fall season, I’m not ready for summer to end just
yet and wish to prolong it for as long as I can. What better way to stay in summer
than a quick post about tomatoes?
What is the definition of summer to you? The beach? The
pool? To me, nothing says summer more than a delicious, ripe tomato salad
straight from the garden (yours or someone else’s). I will eat store-bought
tomatoes during the year, but don’t enjoy them as much because they taste bland
in comparison. A tomato salad made from tomatoes you (or a friend or local
farmer) grew, is a summer treat. Keep them out at room temperature and mix
different types of tomatoes together. Cut and sprinkle them with salt, pepper
and oregano; pour a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top for a
delicious combination of flavors.
We planted 4 or 5 different varieties of tomato seeds this
year, hoping to produce tomatoes at different times during the summer. We expected
to enjoy tomatoes throughout the whole summer, instead of dozens at one time.
The 4th of July variety should have been ready the first week of
July, while the majority of the others (Beefsteak, Thessaloniki, etc.) would be
ready later in July and August. Instead, everything took longer and we were
inundated with tomatoes in August...
We had so many tomatoes that I had to start incorporating
them into my dishes. I chopped some up and made an impromptu tomato sauce for
pasta (add a teaspoon of ketchup for sweetness). I have also sliced a few
and made pita-pizzas (shredded mozzarella cheese and tomato slices on a round pita bread
with some sliced, pitted Kalamata olives).
Let’s talk about
tomatoes! What are some ways you have used up your extra tomatoes this summer?
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