For the LOVE of a Tomato!

           Good Morning Dear Readers!

 

I don't know what the deal is, but I've been craving tomatoes lately. I buy my favorite tomatoes at the Dallas Farmer's Market. There is a woman from Canton, TX that sells THE most divine tomatoes. She knows everything there is to know about a tomato. From planting to harvest to recipes to eating. I guess you could call her the Rain'woman' of tomatoes. They are the best and I just can't seem to get enough of them. I must have some sort of deficiency. My favorite way to eat one of these luscious tomatoes is simply sliced and warmed by the sun. I keep them on my kitchen window sill. I slice my tomatoes thick,  and sprinkle them with a little Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. I eat the whole tomato by myself...no sharing here. Maybe that gives you an idea of how super delicious they really are. I thought I'd share a TOMATO recipe with you today so that you can revel in all the yumminess too!

                     Bruschetta

Ingredients:

3 or 4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 baguette
freshly grated Parmesan cheese


                  
                    Garlic Butter
Ingredients:

1/4 cup of butter, softened
1 clove of garlic, minced
a little salt and pepper

To make the bruschetta topping, mix together the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside. To make the garlic butter, mix together the butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Slice the bread and top with a little bit of the garlic butter. Either broil or toast in a skillet for a few minutes until it is lightly browned. Put tomato topping on bread, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pop it in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese just slightly starts to melt.       EAT!

If you're family is like the P's, this does NOT last long in our house. It's every man for himself. YUM.

ENJOY!

*I decided to amend my tomato post by including a blurb about the Tomato Festival in Bunol, Spain. La Tomatina is one massive food fight held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the sleepy village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain. Thousands upon thousands of people make their way from all corners of the world to fight in the 'World's Biggest Food Fight' where more than one hundred tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets. Yeah, you read that correctly....100 tons, that's a lot of tomatoes! Trucks haul the bounty of tomatoes into the center of  town to the Plaza del Pueblo. The festival or 'tomato fight' does not begin until one brave soul has climbed to the top of a two-story high, greased-up wooden pole and reaches the coveted ham at the top. REALLY? The purpose of this would be.......? I have absolutely NO idea! Let me just stop right here and insert that I WOULD have participated in an event like this when I was in college. AND I would have thoroughly enjoyed every minute. I know there are friends of mine that are reading this and shaking their heads agreeing with me. They know it's true. So I'm thinking these are mainly young people that come to Bunol yearly for this event. Okay so, when the coveted ham has been captured they fire the cannons, and the chaos begins! TOMATOES EVERYWHERE! Once the battle begins it is every man, woman or child for himself. After exactly one hour, the fighting ends. When the water cannons are fired no more tomatoes can be thrown. They bring in massive hoses to flush the tomato 'puree' out of town. Again.....a purpose please..anyone? Well at least it spikes the tourism trade in Bunol. I do believe if I ever attended such an event, I would NEVER eat another tomato! Thank you and have a great day!