Tons of tomatoes

By Miriam Wolf

September 5, 2007

The pickup: Tomato season is finally in full swing in the Northwest. Our CSA box has been full of the sweet, juicy orbs: yellow pear, dark-red cherry, and full-sized. And our own garden has started producing heirloom Seitz tomatoes as well.

A bowlful of fresh tomatoes.

The results: After what seemed like a solid month of dinners that centered on smoky, delicious grilled zucchini, the tomato glut has brought pasta back to our plates. The fresh tomatoes need nothing more than a 10-minute sauté in olive oil and garlic and a shower of chopped basil (also from the CSA box, thankfully, since I can’t seem to grow basil to save my life) before they’re ready to mingle with some al dente penne.

The little tomatoes never hang around long; our 7-year-old daughter eats a bowlful of them with nearly every meal (including breakfast). And I’ve stocked up on mayonnaise to fulfill my annual resolution to eat a tomato sandwich every single day of tomato season.

Unlike Harriet the Spy, who only ate her tomato sandwiches on white bread, I have my tomatoes on whatever bread is available, preferably a baguette or some whole-wheat toast, spread with mayo and piled with sliced tomatoes sprinkled with sea salt. If a non-locavore avocado is lying around, a few slices make for a heartier sandwich. Bliss.