The Siren Call of Tomatoes

TomatoesToday, I joined my friend David at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden‘s annual plant sale, where I got some more ground cover plants and an astilbe. I was also talked into buying a tomato plant. Now, lest you think that I don’t love tomatoes, please rest assured that I do. Offering lots of varieties of flavor and texture, they are an indispensable fruit/veggie in my cooking arsenal.

In fact, I actually love growing most plants that give you food…but since I have a shady garden, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I have limited space for food-growing. This year, I only have some planters with herbs and mixed lettuce greens on my steps, in addition to my flowering plants in the garden proper. I had thought that I had given up the dream of tomatoes and that I would instead look for gorgeous varieties at the Union Square Greenmarket (pictured) this summer.

BUT the siren call of the tomatoes was too much, and I did in fact choose a Bush Goliath, a variety designed for patio growing and success. (“Bush” varieties will not get so tall and gangly; instead, they will stay compact.)

In honor of my new tomato plant, I’m digging into the recipe archives for this seriously basic heirloom tomato recipe:

Tomato SaladYou’ll need:

  • 1 quart of home grown or heirloom tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 Tbsp high quality balsamic vinegar or lime juice
  • a couple cracks of fresh ground pepper
  • salt to taste

Toss all ingredients together and enjoy. Serve alone or as a side dish. I promise you the flavors will just pop, PLUS it adds a nice punch of color to the plate.