First tomato sandwich of the summer...

I walked over to the Federal Plaza farmer's market this afternoon to scope out the tomato situation. Nichols had none, but said that by the end of July, they would. I saw what appeared to be the same 'ol institutional tomatoes as in the grocery stores at more than a few stands, but at the south end of the plaza, a farmer from Indiana sets up shop.

These appeared to be real. Warm from the sun, soft yet firm with those cracks around the stem end. I took a chance and bought a bag of them, about six or seven pounds, a few of them green and hard for frying.

They are actually very good. My sandwich consisted of thickly sliced tomato on soft 100% whole wheat with Hellman's mayo, Normandy sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, this month's pepper of choice.

The DI's used to say smoke 'em if you got em. I'm once again thankful that tomato season is once again almost here, and that for six or eight weeks, my tomato obsession can be fulfilled.

My basic summer tomato sauce:

Tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1. Stem and core the tomatoes, and cut an "x" on the bottom of each one.

2. Quickly blanch and then shock in ice water. If the tomatoes are ripe the cooking time should be around ten seconds, maybe less.

3. Peel and half them. Squeeze out the juice into a sieve positioned over a bowl to catch the juice. Then rough chop the tomatoes.

4. Heat a non reactive saucepan almost smoking hot and add a generous swirl of the olive oil. Carefully sweat the garlic until aromatic, then add the pepper. Add the tomatoes and juice and quickly bring to a boil. Reduce to desired thickness at full throttle, but cook no more than about ten total minutes.

5. If desired, tear a few basil leaves. Add salt to taste and maybe a pinch of sugar (Sorry Antonius)

Was the vendor Garwood?

I got a tomato from then with similar hopes last week--they said it was Kentucky-grown. It was quite a nice tomato, and left me too thankful for summer.

Aaron,

I wasn't even paying attention. He sets up stand on the side of the Plaza closest to Jackson and he's a pretty crusty old fellow. I think I'll walk over to Daley Plaza Thursday in hopes of getting a name.

Evil Ronnie wrote:5. If desired, tear a few basil leaves. Add salt to taste and maybe a pinch of sugar (Sorry Antonius)

No, no, you're right... sometimes they need it... I think canned San Marzano's never need sugar, but that's always a question of taste too... Sometimes, other tomatoes/tomato products definitely do need a wee pinch...

A