Wednesday, July 24, 2013

First Tomato

Tomatoes are ripening. Calloo, callay!


I picked the first one last night for our supper: a perfect beauty of a tomato, sun-warmed and heavy in my hand.


In its garnet heart is written a tale of hot days and warm nights, of falling rain, buzzing bees, and green leaves breathing in the summer air.


What to do with this paragon of a firstfruit? Gratin de courgette et tomate? Pasta with fresh tomato sauce?

No - the first tomato of the year should never be desecrated by cooking. It must be enjoyed fresh and virginal from the vine:


A tiny sprinkle of salt, a chiffonade of basil are enough.

(Also on the plate are potato salad  - warm and eggy and rich with homemade mayonnaise - and a mushroom-Swiss burger.)


"Wow," says Mr. M as he takes the first juicy red bite. "It's so deeply ... tomato-y."

As it should be. :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Posted by Mrs. Micawber
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44 comments:

  1. AstriJuly 24, 2013 at 12:46 PM

    Big smile! :-D

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:48 PM

      Big smiles here too - picked another one for breakfast. Basil, goat cheese and tomato omelets. Happy happy taste buds. :)

      Delete
  2. Stitchy Mc Floss July 24, 2013 at 12:52 PM

    Yum! Now if you ever need a food taster, you know I am available! :)

    Jo says to tell you he loves fresh 'maters!

    blessings always

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:48 PM

      Thanks Vicki - and I hope Jo is referring to eating them and NOT throwing them! ;)

      Delete
  3. MeredithJuly 24, 2013 at 1:49 PM

    It sure is a beauty.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  4. millefeuillesJuly 24, 2013 at 2:46 PM

    A moment of joy indeed! My husband has been nurturing his tomato plants and they are flourishing like crazy :-) Ours are cherry tomatoes and I recall their heavenly taste last year.

    Rnjoy the taste of summer.

    Stephanie

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:49 PM

      Merci, Stephanie. We have a grape tomato plant as well but its fruit is still small and green. :)

      Delete
  5. lindaJuly 24, 2013 at 4:16 PM

    You can't beat a home grown tomato, that one was sheer perfection you made my mouth water. :)

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:49 PM

      Thanks Linda - you are too right about home grown tomatoes! :)

      Delete
  6. ClaireJuly 24, 2013 at 5:04 PM

    Oh Sue you have me longing for Summer now and it's still WInter and forsty outside......the birdbath has frozen over. That's about as cold as it gets here, very mild compared to your WInters.
    I love brushing past tomato foliage and just enjoying the aroma. Its one of the smells of Summer I love.
    Your dinner looks absolutely delicious, I'm sure you enjoyed every morsel.

    CLaire X

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:50 PM

      I love that smell too - so intense and tangy.

      Thanks Claire! :)

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  7. LindaJuly 24, 2013 at 5:59 PM

    Yum Yum. Northern tomatoes look more perfect than my southern ones. Bet you do not have the "critters" that we have. But home grown are delicious wherever. Enjoy your harvest. Linda

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:51 PM

      I would have thought that Southern tomatoes would beat ours - you get so much more sun and heat. I guess the critters have a lot to answer for....

      :)

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  8. Lillie and MossJuly 24, 2013 at 6:57 PM

    Yummy...with a little salt and pepper please!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:52 PM

      I think I did add a bit of pepper after photographing (the salt was there but invisible). :)

      Delete
  9. Gracie SaylorJuly 25, 2013 at 1:07 AM

    A perfect summer menu! Thanks for sharing, Sue.

    Gracie xx

    ps, the odd wizzardy trees in my last post live at a local nursery and my oldest daughter leaned out her car window and used my camera to capture a photo of them :)

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:52 PM

      Thanks Gracie - those trees were so fascinating. :)

      Delete
  10. SandraJuly 25, 2013 at 3:27 AM

    Nothing better than ripe tomatoes. I love the smell too!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:53 PM

      Yes - storebought never smell or taste as good (which is why we only eat them in season, home- or farm-grown.) :)

      Delete
  11. BabajezaJuly 25, 2013 at 6:19 AM

    Tomatoes are the best. Here at the cafeteria there is plenty of this wonderful vegetable every day. I'm sure your home-grown tomatoes taste even better. :-)

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  12. sueh617July 25, 2013 at 9:23 AM

    M-M-M! Mouthwatering post!

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  13. Mac n' JanetJuly 25, 2013 at 10:02 AM

    Delicious! I like to make a green bean salad with our tomatoes: Gook the green beans and cool, chop tomatoes, onions and one hard-boiled egg white. Take the yolk, add garlic salt and rice wine vinegar, mix well and toss the salad.
    Even my husband who doesn't like tomatoes will eat them this way.

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:54 PM

      That sounds very good indeed - the dressing too. Will have to try this. Thanks Janet! :)

      Delete
  14. PennyJuly 25, 2013 at 1:16 PM

    Deeply tomato-y, just how I like it too Mr. M! We are off to Spain next week and their tomatoes taste superbly tomato-y too x Happy munching xox Penny

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:54 PM

      Oh, happy eating and travelling, Penny! Have some jamon for me while you're there. :)

      Delete
  15. Kay G.July 25, 2013 at 8:16 PM

    I would eat that tomato on bread with mayo and salt and pepper. Nothing better than that!!! xx

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:55 PM

      That sounds good too - and rather Southern somehow. :)

      Delete
  16. SnowcatcherJuly 26, 2013 at 11:45 AM

    Awww, you beat me. Mine tiny little beefsteaks the size of big marbles are just beginning to catch a tiny bit of orange. I was hoping they'd grow just a tiny bit bigger.

    Yours is so awesomely red!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:56 PM

      Thanks Deb - this plant happened to fruit very early. I think it's a fluke and we just got lucky, as no one else around seems to have them yet. :)

      Delete
  17. The Slapdash SewistJuly 26, 2013 at 2:41 PM

    We're not quite there with the tomatoes at my farmer's market. I've been enjoying the cherry/grape/pear tomatoes, but can't wait for a full size one!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:56 PM

      Other way around for us - my grape tomatoes are still like green marbles. Looking forward to them though! :)

      Delete
  18. *July 26, 2013 at 3:59 PM

    Wow, now that is my kinda meal, all my favourites on one plate. I love picking new tomatoes and the smell on your hands afterwards.....so chokked full of summer!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:57 PM

      Yes, that smell is lovely - the only thing better, I think, is the smell of basil on my hands. :)

      Delete
  19. kathy bJuly 26, 2013 at 6:07 PM

    ohhhh I cannot wait to taste that kind of fresh perfect tomato

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 26, 2013 at 10:58 PM

      Should be any time now - you guys usually get things a bit earlier than we do as you're just enough further south.... :)

      Delete
  20. pembrokeshire lassJuly 27, 2013 at 9:44 AM

    How lovely! I was late putting in my tomato and cumber plants so they are still very green, I am so looking forward to eating our first. We eat them like apples....the best way...between meals I mean. Your whole meal looks totally yummy! Joan

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 30, 2013 at 7:50 PM

      Thanks Joan - we got lucky I think with this plant. Our other tomatoes are still green. :)

      Delete
  21. Annie CholewaJuly 29, 2013 at 9:23 AM

    Yum! Can you believe we don't grow tomatoes ... wish we could but I've no way to stop the dogs, um, flavouring them!

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  22. ellenJuly 30, 2013 at 1:38 PM

    I am drooling right now. I loved your tomato narrative. Well done!

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    1. Mrs. MicawberJuly 30, 2013 at 7:53 PM

      Thanks Ellen! Tomatoes make me wax rhapsodic ... don't know why. I think it's their transience. We wait all year for them (never buy them in the store) and so they are very special when they come. :)

      Delete

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