Slices of lightly toasted bread, a generous slathering of mayo, good pinches of salt and a few grindings of black pepper team with tomatoes, one of summer's simplest pleasures, to make the beloved tomato sandwich.
During Michigan’s prime tomato time, I can eat homegrown tomatoes daily. During the rest of the year? Not so much.
Cherry and grape tomatoes from my patio garden have been coming in steadily along with a few of the larger varieties. Friends and neighbors are offering up garden tomatoes that are a perfect size, vine-ripe and red throughout.I've been eating tomato sandwiches, BLT’s and tomato slices with a drizzling of good olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and I haven’t had a bad one yet.
My longtime friend Debbie made me my
first tomato sandwich when we were kids. It consisted of a not-too-thick slice of a summer tomato with a hint of salt and pepper and a good slathering of mayo on soft white sandwich bread. The tomato was so juicy that it moistened the bread.
Last year, I wrote in this space about chatting with another longtime friend, Michelle, about tomatoes. She has lived in Arizona for nearly four decades and complained at that time that she couldn't get good-tasting tomatoes “like you get in Michigan.” She finished her lament with: “I am so jealous.”
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making a tomato sandwich.
● Tomatoes: Any firm, ripe variety that's fresh from the garden or farmers market will do. Oddly shaped heirloom tomatoes are a great choice.
● Slicing: Have a dedicated tomato knife — please. Use a serrated knife to cut slices that are one-fourth of an inch thick.
● The bread: A good semisoft white bread is just fine. But a fav is an everything-seasoned sourdough. You can lighlty toast the bread or not.
● The spread: Mayonnaise only. And in the words of Ina Garten, use a “good quality” mayo. While Garten uses Hellman's, I lean toward Duke's.
Here’s a recipe for what has become a favorite tomato sandwich. It's a take on a BLT with the addition of a few tablespoons of Asiago or a sharp white cheddar cheese mixed into the mayo — a tip I learned from a New York Times recipe. Once the bread is toasted, quickly spread the mayo-cheese mixture on the warm bread to slightly melt the cheese.
BLT with Asiago Mayo
Makes: 1 sandwich / Prep time: 15 minutes / Total time: 15 minutes
2 slices of favorite bread, such as everything sourdough
2 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise mixed with 2 tablespoons Asiago or cheddar cheese
Favorite lettuce such as little gem leaves
2 to 3 homegrown tomato slices (about ¼-inch thick) or more if you like
2 slices of cooked, thick bacon
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lightly toast the bread. Once toasted, spread each slice immediately with the mixture of mayonnaise and cheese. Top with lettuce. Arrange the tomato slices on the lettuce and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Top with bacon and the other slice of bread. Serve.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Summer’s greatest homegrown bite? Tomato sandwiches
