Dougloid From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1216 times:
We've had a nice chat about the pleasures of overindulging in sweet corn in all its variations. Let us all pay homage to the tomato. ( I prefer 'love apple' myself, but that term's gone out of fashion).
One of the other pleasures of the summer's Midwestern gastronomic experiences is fresh tomatoes from the garden, or, in my case, from the tomato patch of a local farmer who lets you pick what you like at $0.30 a pound. You have to do a little looking because the market tomatoes for crating have already been picked but there's always plenty left over.
About once every ten days during the season I head down the road west of Grimes and go north to the windmill and I'm there. When I've filled my box, it's about 17 pounds. He seems to grow only one variety and that's Better Boy.
Here's how I do them.
When I get home they're still warm from the sun. Two or three, sliced up go into a bowl. That gets topped with some extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, a dash of Lawry's garlic salt and a dusting with oregano.
Nirvana....it's also time to overindulge because after the frost all you'll have is those wretched gassed California baseballs or overpriced, tasteless hydroponic tomatoes.
Kmh1956 From Bermuda, joined Jun 2005, 3324 posts, RR: 8 Reply 1, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1195 times:
Sliced, drizzled with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and misxed with fresh basil leaves...a touch of salt and pepper. Refrigerate for a few hours...yummy.
Quoting Dougloid (Thread starter): wretched gassed California baseballs or overpriced, tasteless hydroponic tomatoes.
Oh yeah...the ones that taste/look like styrofoam on the inside, painted very pale orange on the outside...avoid them like the plague. Get the good ones from a local farmer or farmer's market!!!
'Somebody tell me why I'm on my own if there's a soulmate for everyone' :Natasha Bedingfield
ORFflyer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1193 times:
Quoting Dougloid (Thread starter): He seems to grow only one variety and that's Better Boy.
Damn fine variety - those and Early Girl are probably my favorites.
Quoting Dougloid (Thread starter): That gets topped with some extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, a dash of Lawry's garlic salt and a dusting with oregano.
Sounds real good - I'm going to try some that way.
I like to cut them into a bowl, along with fresh cucumbers, green peppers, and onions. Drizzle with olive oil, some vinegar, a dash of sugar, salt-n-pepper. (heavy pepper for me) Dadgum delicious!!
Ronglimeng From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 624 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1170 times:
I was thinking about tomatoes when the corn thread was running last week.
They seem to go hand-in-hand for me, both of them available in early August.
Right now we eating sliced field tomatoes for breakfast, toasted tomato sandwiches for evening snacks, and for salads in between.
In a few weeks we will be sick of them, but then they will be gone for another year. It is hard to believe those things you get from the hot houses have the same name.
I wish we could get delicious, juicy field tomatoes all year 'round so I could enjoy them in moderation.
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12365 posts, RR: 12 Reply 6, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1155 times:
We are at late end of the tomato and sweet corn season in New Jersey - home of some of the best eating tomatoes in the USA and the world. S salad with fresh "Jersey" tomatoes and lettuce, boiled sweet corn swathed in melted butter and a medium rare steak grilled on the BBQ....mmmmm.... a sign of mid to late summer here.
STLGph From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8994 posts, RR: 27 Reply 7, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1153 times:
Quoting Dougloid (Thread starter): Two or three, sliced up go into a bowl. That gets topped with some extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, a dash of Lawry's garlic salt and a dusting with oregano.
Add spinach, some red onion, bleu cheese crumbles.
Eternal darkness we all should dread. It's hard to party when you're dead.
Bagpiper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1147 times:
We have 7 vines out behind the house.... I think they're Better Boy variety. Big, juicy, bright red tomatoes. Lovely! Only problem is the skin is a weee bit tough.... but I'll take that over the grocery store crap any day!
We have been getting around 4 or 5 per day for the whole summer! Its great!
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1139 times:
Quoting STLGph (Reply 7): Add spinach, some red onion, bleu cheese crumbles.
That's good salad right there, tomatoes are not even neceesary.
Quoting LTBEWR (Reply 6): S salad with fresh "Jersey" tomatoes and lettuce
Are these "Jersey" tomatoes from New Jersey or from the original Jersey, in the Channel Islands. Jersey tomatoes are also famous and get flown worldwide.
Eehh - tomatoes, yeah well, they're OK, but I don't go a bundle on them. I like the little cherry tomatoes, with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil, just by themselves.
Grilled tomatoes are good, especially with bacon and sausages, mmmmmmmm. And of course let us not forget the humbled canned tomato, so vital for our Italian pasta sauces - mmmmmmmmm too.
Atrude777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5623 posts, RR: 54 Reply 11, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1126 times:
Oh man guys your making me hungry!
I liek just to cut up some tomatoes, and add heavy Salt and some pepper.
Maybe some seasoning, sounds so healthy and excellent for you.
I am not a fan of refigerated myself unless it is in a salad. Otherwise, room temperature is good enough for me.
Strangely enough, i HATE tomatoes in my BLT, even though that is the point of the sandwhich, strange Ain't I?
Alex
Good things come to those who wait, better things come to those who go AFTER it!
Comorin From United States of America, joined May 2005, 4721 posts, RR: 17 Reply 12, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1107 times:
All delicious eating tomatoes! All hail New Jersey.
Question: 'Eating' tomatoes tend to be low on acid, which is necessary for a good cooking tomato. What local brands would you use for, say, making tomato sauce?
Kmh1956 From Bermuda, joined Jun 2005, 3324 posts, RR: 8 Reply 13, posted (5 years 10 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 1092 times:
Unfortunately, in the summer here we have to put them in the fridge. Otherwise they'd be crawling in ants in no time at all. The summer heat brings out ants by the billions.....and it doesn't matter how clean your house is....they're on the hunt for water.
'Somebody tell me why I'm on my own if there's a soulmate for everyone' :Natasha Bedingfield
MCOflyer From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 8556 posts, RR: 14 Reply 14, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1073 times:
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 15, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1021 times:
So far, my parents have picked at least 100 pounds of various tomato varieties, including orange oxhearts and cherokees. I have taken a bunch for myself and just started snacking on the little buggers.
Oh please. I have never had a better tomato than a fresh California heirloom. Just because you guys don't have the weather to get good, ripe tomatoes all year round doesn't mean you should take it out on those of us who can. Those "baseballs" are in your stores because they ship better.
Actually, there is a Japanese lady at the local farmer's market who grows the most amazing hydroponic tomatoes, and she sells them for a reasonable price. She also grows hydroponic Japanese eggplant that are great.
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
ScarletHarlot From Canada, joined Jul 2003, 4673 posts, RR: 59 Reply 16, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1005 times:
Oh yes, heirloom tomatoes! Whole Foods has them this time of year - all sorts of big red ones, medium green ones, small yellow ones - so tasty!
I eat them at room temperature, sliced, with a bit of sea salt.
I was convinced of how delicious tomatoes could be a few years ago at Rain City Grill in Vancouver. They had an appetizer that was sliced heirloom tomatoes with sea salt, a tiny bit of balsamic, and some shiso. Absolutely delicious!
I have a couple in the fridge. I should wash them and put them out to warm up so I can have them for lunch. Yum!
Dougloid From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 17, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 1001 times:
Quoting N1120A (Reply 15): Oh please. I have never had a better tomato than a fresh California heirloom. Just because you guys don't have the weather to get good, ripe tomatoes all year round doesn't mean you should take it out on those of us who can. Those "baseballs" are in your stores because they ship better.
I pretty much have given up on the storebought stuff, with the exception of one brand of cherry tomatoes called Desert Glory....they're very tasty and they ship well. The hydroponic tomatoes are rather tasteless, and the baseballs are useful for crowning little kids and showing to people who've never seen a good tomato..
As a point of information, the best tomatoes I ever had in California were harvested from a plant that grew up from a crack in the pavement behind a restaurant in Long Beach that had closed the year before. Talk about your volunteer tomatoes...that plant was my secret.
I think if I was growing them again in the public gardens in Long Beach I'd most likely grow them under cheesecloth...too damn much sun and not enough rain makes for a sour, thick skinned tomato.
You need a dormant season with hard frost to take care of plant diseases and pests and that's one thing that we have over you. I eventually quit the public gardens because the place was infested with tobacco mosaic virus that ended up killing nearly everything-that and the damned fig beetles.
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, RR: 51 Reply 18, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 988 times:
Quoting Kmh1956 (Reply 1): Sliced, drizzled with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and misxed with fresh basil leaves...a touch of salt and pepper. Refrigerate for a few hours...yummy.
You should try this:
Buy a bag of a whole ball of mozzarella (the one that is in a bag with its juices, not the dried one) and slice it (not too thin, and not too thick). Lay over each slice of mozzarella a slice of tomato, then on each slice a small basil leaf, season with salt and pepper, and then drizzle some olive oil over all slices. Trust me, you'll like it.
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 20, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days ago) and read 966 times:
Quoting Dougloid (Reply 17): too damn much sun and not enough rain makes for a sour, thick skinned tomato.
Nah. Our tomatoes get lots of sun and we use irrigation and they come out great.
Quoting Dougloid (Reply 17): You need a dormant season with hard frost to take care of plant diseases and pests and that's one thing that we have over you.
Intelligent, organic farming with integrated pest management can handle that as well.
Quoting LTU932 (Reply 18):
Buy a bag of a whole ball of mozzarella (the one that is in a bag with its juices, not the dried one)
Otherwise known as fresh mozzarella. Remember though, it doesn't last nearly as long
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
LTU932 From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, RR: 51 Reply 21, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days ago) and read 960 times:
Quoting N1120A (Reply 20): Otherwise known as fresh mozzarella. Remember though, it doesn't last nearly as long
True, but it does taste much better than that dried crap they usually sell.
I used to love going to the nearby supermarket, buying a 125 g bag of fresh mozzarella and have my mother prepare that dish. Too bad it's almost impossible to get fresh mozzarella here in Costa Rica though.
ThePRGuy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (5 years 10 months 2 days ago) and read 960 times:
OK,
beef tomato or a large sized tomato.
Sliced, thickly. Mozzarella, sliced thickly.
Layer in a cute pattern.
Drizzle over balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil.
Salt and pepper.
Dougloid From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (5 years 10 months 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 946 times:
Quoting N1120A (Reply 20): Quoting Dougloid (Reply 17):
You need a dormant season with hard frost to take care of plant diseases and pests and that's one thing that we have over you.
Intelligent, organic farming with integrated pest management can handle that as well.
Nope. You guys don't have an off season to allow nature to kill off the bad stuff so you cheat and tip the can when you think nobody's looking. We're on to you.
Anyway if you're so informed about these matters you'd know that tobacco mosaic never goes away and there's no way to destroy it. Spray or not, makes no difference. The only thing that you can do is stop planting for a few years and have some hard frost. I mean, if you could kill tobacco mosaic the smog would have done it. It kills lung cells, right?
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 24, posted (5 years 10 months 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 936 times:
Quoting LTU932 (Reply 21):
True, but it does taste much better than that dried crap they usually sell.
Well, it depends. Fresh mozzarella is not good for pizza, as it doesn't have good melting qualities and has more fat, which makes the pizza oily.
Quoting LTU932 (Reply 21): Too bad it's almost impossible to get fresh mozzarella here in Costa Rica though.
That is too bad. You could always try making it yourself
Quoting Dougloid (Reply 23):
Nope. You guys don't have an off season to allow nature to kill off the bad stuff so you cheat and tip the can when you think nobody's looking. We're on to you.
LOL. Cute. Actually, I haven't eaten a non-local, non-organic tomato in California for years now.
Quoting Dougloid (Reply 23): I mean, if you could kill tobacco mosaic the smog would have done it. It kills lung cells, right?
The area I grew up in is highly agricultural and smog free. Then again, tobacco mosaic would mean they don't have any tomatoes to sell, which definitely isn't the case
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
25 Saxdiva: Here's another tomato dish I like to make this time of year: Take some large tomatoes and cut them into slices 1/2" to 3/4" inch thick. Brush olive oi
26 Dougloid: Sounds delicious. Next time I'm grilling this'll get a look. We may all kvetch about regional differences but I think it's agreed that there are few
27 JGPH1A: Mmmmmmm - sounds amazing ! I shall have to rush round to pasta store near the station and get some of their fresh, home-made pesto and a blob of love
28 IFEMaster: My neighbour popped round yesterday afternoon and handed me a small bag of some fresh cherry tomatoes she's been growing this summer. I'm not such a f
29 Comorin: Tomatoes+ Mozzarella+Olive Oil is called Caprese around these parts. Try using a good sea salt like Maldon on fresh tomatoes, makes a HUGE difference!
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From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Bermuda, joined Jun 2005, 3324 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 624 posts, 
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We never put tomatoes in the frig. Any kind of "tossed-salad" is best at room-temperature I think.
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 13864 posts, 
Too bad it's almost impossible to get fresh mozzarella here in Costa Rica though. 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
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