A plethora of tomatoes from the Farmers Market: multi-colored heirloom cherry tomatoes, Green Zebras, yellow grape and bright red Early Girl tomatoes.
Alright, so I was a little excitable at the Farmers Market recently. Tomatoes were in and I had to have every shape, size and color available. Each stall was better than the last. Needless to say, I came home with pounds of tomatoes. I mean, look at them. Could you resist?
One of my all-time favorite food memories is the first time I brought home a perfectly ripe tomato from the Farmer’s Market and bit into it like an apple, juices running down my arm and into my kitchen sink. It was like candy and I was in heaven.
Since then, one of the rights of passage of summer for me is a Tomato Sandwich with the best summer tomatoes I can find. Nothing simpler. Nothing better.
Does it warrant a recipe?
French bread layered with garlic aioli, heirloom tomatoes, a drizzling of balsamic vinegar and parmesan shavings.
No. Probably not.
What I do is slice a mess of tomatoes (remember my tip for slicing small tomatoes?) Different sizes and different colors are best cause it just looks so summery.
Then I grab some good, crusty bread.
Slather on a layer of (cheater’s) garlic aioli*.
Then load it up with tomatoes, a sprinkling of sea salt, some shavings of Parmigiano-reggiano, a drizzle of the best balsamic vinegar I’ve got on-hand and voila.
The best summer sandwich imaginable.
And an alternative on toasted baguette rounds for an easy appetizer.
*Cheater’s garlic aioli = store bought mayo + a clove of crushed garlic. Summer is for relaxing my friends.
Enjoy!
Ms. Pantry Raid
Santogold (Santigold)
Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games Trilogy)
I find tomatoes unresistable nnowadays! Your sandwich looks colorful and so delicious! thanks for sharing
That sandwich looks so fresh and delicious it makes me want one right now. Enjoy the tomatoes while they last!
This looks fantastic! I’m hungry now!
Tomatoes are one of late summer’s pleasures. All the more reason to take advantage of them as much as you can. The autumn equinox was this past Monday.
By my count, that leaves less than four weeks before the first frost arrives.
Time flies so seize the moment!
Lalala – not listening! I REFUSE to admit summer is over. So much so that:
1. I posted a summer entry in fall.
2. I wore WHITE PANTS today. Oh, the horror!!
We did not have summer till September here in the Midwest. I’m trying to milk this for all it’s worth. The shortened days are already getting me melancholy.
Don’t you just love how the best “recipes” aren’t really recipes at all? If those tomatoes taste one-tenth as good as they look, then you’ve made a world-class sandwich. Congrats on making the most of your Farmer’s Market bounty!
Dan
Casual Kitchen