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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Tomato Sammich: A Southern Classic

This is the first of what I hope will be many tomato sandwiches made with home grown tomatoes. I used my first 2 Roma's that I picked this evening. Tomato sandwiches remind me of living in the south. I remember way back when I was young we would go to my great grandmother's house who lived in Clarksville Tennessee (3 hours from Memphis) to visit. She and my great grandfather had a vegetable garden and although I don't really remember much about the garden, I do remember that tomatoes were served at every single meal. The most common way to serve tomatoes as a side dish was to slice them up on a plate and throw them in the middle of the table. No matter what the meal, they were awesome with a little salt and pepper. Later my mom hipped me to the tomato sandwich. My mom always made those with a big meaty tomato, Miracle Whip, white bread, salt and pepper. My version is with a good whole grain bread, real mayo, sliced Roma, Romaine lettuce and black pepper.

Don't forget the napkin - this is one juicy sandwich!

10 comments:

  1. Add a few strips of bacon to your version, and I'll be right over for supper!

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  2. carol - ahhh the BLT - another classic!

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  3. Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!! I am licking my lips, Gina. BTW, my first cousin lived in Clarksville and I used to visit him there. Beautiful country.

    Romas are good, my dear, but they can't compete with those "big, meaty tomatoes " your Momma used.

    Don't go to bed tonight without posting your poetry/prose for tomorrow, which is - GARDEN BLOGGERS' MUSE DAY. That's right. Get on it now.

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  4. OOOOhhhhh Gina. Want. Sammich. Now!

    I eat tomato sandwiches for breakfast. Sometimes toasted, sometimes not. On baguettes, bagels, multigrain bread...even a hamburger bun if desperate.
    My favourite sandwich EVER is smoked salmon cream cheese, avocado slices, tomato slices, and sprouts on this special bread called Goodhearty bread made at a local bakery. But I'll take tomatoes on white bread with just mayo, salt and pepper as being ambrosia.

    Then there's my husband, who puts sugar on tomatoes! Ever hear of that?

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  5. Gina, your garden is quickly going from skinny to PHAT!

    Your tomatoes look yummy. I prefer the mayo version too, and I also eat them for breakfast. I'm getting hungry!

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  6. Napkin? The only really safe way to eat one of the great tomato sandwiches is over the sink! Yours looks so yummy...

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  7. carolyn - i'd prefer the big meaty ones too but that was all i had that was ripe - cut me some slack, woman!

    jodi - those sound awesome! i had an english muffin with cream cheese and tomatoes the other day and it was great! i dont think i've heard of anybody putting sugar on tomatoes but it reminds me of my mom putting salt on watermelon for some reason.

    wrenna - thanks for stopping by! if you were close i'd make you a sammich too!

    marion - when i first wrote this post I was writing about how the best part is when the tomato juice mixes with the mayo and drips all down your chin when you eat it, but i thought everybody would think i was gross so i just went with the "napkin comment".

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  8. I had never heard of the tomato sammich before?! I better ask the TN husband. My romas are red but I'm not sure if they're ready to be picked, they still seem kinda hard. Yours look great though, maybe more sun in actual Chgo?

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  9. Oh i could just live on tomato sandwiches.
    Looks good!

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  10. I must take umbrage at the Tomato sandwich being called a Southern Classic. I know it as a Dakota Classic. And the Lettuce and tomato sandwich I know as a Kansas Classic. Fried green tomatos I will give the south but not my sammich! Signed- Anal about Sandwiches and will whine about anything!

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