Beginning in July and all through August, tomato toast is one of my major food groups. It’s my lunch at least five days a week. I savor every bite — not because it’s a Tomato Girl Summer, although glad to be on trend — but because tomatoes are truly the one ingredient that I never ever buy offseason. This means, I get my annual fill exclusively during the summer months. Every Saturday morning at the farmers market, I speed walk the stroller with my 5-month-old, Lennox, staring back at me, hoping my favorite stand still has enough of that week’s crop. (Some of Portland’s best chefs love this stand, too, so they’re a hot commodity!) I get a haul of different tomato types: sungolds, early girls, and heirlooms to use throughout the week for angel hair pasta, caprese salads, BLTs (on the menu for dinner tomorrow), and, of course, tomato toast.
Credit: Lindsay Funston
For years I’ve stayed classic with my tomato toast, dutifully following the rules our deputy food editor, Kristina Razon, so pointedly laid out — except for the smoked salt (I don’t have any). This summer, I’ve been changing it up just a little. When I was in New York several months ago, I made a quick pit stop at Eataly, where I headed straight for the anchovies (I’m in love with the salty, briny depth of flavor they add to everything). There I found a shiny gold tube of what has now become my daily little treat (who needs chocolate?!): Rizzoli Anchovies Spiced Paste.
Credit: Lindsay Funston
I love the combination of tomatoes and anchovies — one of my favorite easy Italian apps is sliced tomatoes and anchovies, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with pepper — so when I decided to stir some of the anchovy paste into mayo before spreading it on bread for tomato toast, I knew I was onto something. Now I basically can’t live without this. Tomato toast is perfect in its simplicity, but add some intense flavor and you’ll take it to the next level.
Dining and Cooking