Tomatoes: American preferences and what Trump hopes a 17% duty will do
The Republic’s Daniel Gonzalez explains expected tomato price increases and what the Trump administration’s 17% duty on tomatoes hopes to accomplish.
A tomato sandwich is one of the simplest and satisyfing uses of homegrown tomatoes.Homegrown fresh tomatoes are one summer’s greatest pleasure, try them in this ultimate tomato sandwich.
Sinking my teeth into ripe homegrown tomatoes is something I’m looking forward to over the next month or two. A homegrown tomato is the absolute best.
For nearly four decades, Michelle, my best friend since third grade, has lived in Arizona. As we were chatting recently, she complained that she couldn’t get good-tasting tomatoes “like you get in Michigan.” She finished her lament with: “I am so jealous.”
Indeed. At my house, we’ve just begun picking the big tomatoes off the vine, but the excitement over having homegrown tomatoes — and making tomato sandwiches — is growing.
You can gussy up a tomato sandwich any way you like. You can make it a BLT or add slices of avocado, sweet onion or cheese.
But simple is often best way to go, and it doesn’t get any simpler than fresh-sliced tomatoes sprinkled with kosher salt and black pepper and layered between two slices of bread slathered with mayo.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making a tomato sandwich.
● Tomatoes: Any firm, ripe variety that’s fresh from the garden or farmers market will do. Oddly shaped heirloom tomatoes are a great choice.
● Slicing: Have a dedicated tomato knife — please. Use a serrated knife for cutting perfect, one-fourth-inch thick tomato slices.
● The bread: A good semisoft white bread is just fine. But a fav is an everything-seasoned sourdough. You can toast the bread or not. If I toast the bread, I do so lightly so that the bread is still slightly soft.
● The spread: Mayonnaise only. And in the words of Ina Garten, use a “good quality” mayo. While Garten uses Hellman’s, I lean toward Duke’s.
Here’s a recipe for one of the first tomato sandwiches I made this season. It’s a take on a BLT with the addition of a few tablespoons of cheese mixed in the mayo — a tip I learned from a New York Times recipe. Shredded Asiago works great, but a good sharp cheddar works well, too. Once the bread is toasted, quickly spread the mayo-cheese mixture on the warm bread to slightly melt the cheese.
BLT with Asiago Mayo
Makes: 1 sandwich / Prep time: 15 minutes / Total time: 15 minutes
2 slices of favorite bread, such as everything sourdough
2 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise mixed with 2 tablespoons Asiago or Cheddar cheese
Favorite lettuce such as little gem leaves
2 to 3 homegrown tomato slices (about ¼-inch thick) or more if you like
2 slices of cooked, thick bacon
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lightly toast the bread. Once toasted, spread each slice immediately with the mixture of mayonnaise and Asiago cheese. Top with lettuce. Arrange the tomato slices on the lettuce and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Top with bacon and the other slice of bread.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.
Dining and Cooking