It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato - Lewis Grizzard.
Tomato, -America's most popular garden plant, is at its best right now.
Record temperatures in my home state of North Carolina throughout June, and July, may have taken toll on other plants, but tomatoes, are plentiful, and that of course, is a good thing. Cherry, plum, beefsteak, and salad varieties, can be found in Piedmont gardens; -all ripe, perfectly formed, and full of goodness.
Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, dips, and salads will be popular, but if you are looking for more variety, consider trying a few classic, international tomato recipes, and harvest saving hints, too.
(1) Shakshuka - eggs, poached in tomato, onion and pepper sauce. Popular Israeli, and Middle Eastern brunch (Shakshuka Recipe).
(2) Tomates à la Provençale - tomatoes, Provencal style, stuffed with breadcrumbs, basil, parsley, and garlic. Ideal, Summer starter, or side dish from South of France (Tomates a la Provencale Recipe).
(3) Bruschetta, and Tomato Mozzarella Crostini. Bruschetta - toasted baguette slice seasoned with garlic, and served under a mountain of chopped, ripe garden tomatoes and basil (Bruschetta Recipe). Crostini - double toasted baguette slice, dressed with mozzarella, Parmesan, tomato, and olives (Crostini Recipe). Perfect starters, or light lunch treats from Italy.
(4) Chicken Tikka Masala - chicken marinated in yogurt, then grilled, or oven cooked, and served with cumin, and tomato sauce. Popular Indian dinner meal. British love it, and call it Britain's national dish (Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe).
(5) Tomato Soup - perfect anytime. For variety, try Spanish Gazpacho, or Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup (Tomato Soup Recipe), (Gazpacho Recipe), (Italian Sausage and Tortellini Recipe).
(6) Fresh Tomato Salsa - Summer afternoon's must have, accompaniment (Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe).
(7) Insalata Caprese - classic tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad from Capri, Italy (Insalata Caprese Recipe).
(8) Pesto Cheese Filled Cherry Tomatoes - yummy appetizer (Pesto Cheese Cherry Tomatoes Recipe).
(9) Tomato Tart - easy to make, and delightfully satisfying, side dish (Tomato Tart Recipe).
and let's be sustainable, and save the surplus for later use -
(10) Green Tomato Relish - handy any day (Green Tomato Relish Recipe).
MORE TOMATO RECIPES / FREEZING TOMATOES / TOMATO NUTRITION / TOMATO TRIVIA
(Originally published in Examiner.)
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References
Special Thanks
Special Thanks to Town & Country Gardens Contributors: blogger, bulabean, dive-angel (Karin), flickr, gmnonic, Jasmine&Roses, Rita Crane Photography. Rita Crane, daughter of LIFE magazine photographer Ralph Crane. Her work can be seen on Flickr at Rita Crane Photography or on her website., TMR Davies, W.D. Williams
