Not yet tomato season here, but we have a small grocer we go to who has very good heirloom tomatoes all year, although they can run $6 a piece in winter!

The last few years all I have wanted in our garden is lettuce (because it is so easy and then always fresh; i hate lettuce in bags and boxes, to me it always smells), haricots verts, and heirloom tomatoes. The big ones, with yellow and green patterns. They are fab, fab, fab.

This year, with dividing our time between here and the beach, camps, and a 17 day trip end August, it has not made sense to have the garden so it lies fallow.

I think tomato sandwiches are the most delicious thing in the world, when the tomatoes are perfect. August heirlooms, ahhhh.

The bread must be a very good sourdough with a springy inside and a hard crust, toasted or better yet grilled. I'm a Hellmann's girl, if mayo, but Id rather a very nice drizzle of olive oil. The salt must be big flakes, and just a soupcon of fresh ground pepper. And the sandwich is def open face!

Insalata caprese is also a staple in our house (ONLY use good fresh whole milk mozzarella, or even burrata if you want to splurge). The kids like balsamic pearls, for the novelty.

I prefer tomato/feta/watermelon, but done in slabs like a caprese; I made it recently w grape tomatoes and it was too messy for me.

The other summer ritual for me is cucumber cucumber soup, with buttermilk and yogurt and lots of snipped chives. Perfect w the tomato sandwich.

PS I grew up in PA, maybe it is a PA thing.

Tina, that's either a Cherokee Purple or Indian Stripe in the photo above. They're very similar in appearance and taste. Let your dh enjoy a BLT. Fresh tomato season is a summer pleasure that's so short-lived. He can go back to being good when those luscious tomatoes are just a memory.

chickadee, Sun Golds have been a staple in my garden for the past 15 years. I won "tastiest tomato" at the local farmers' market competition 3 years in a row. If I could only eat one tomato that would be it!!!

As a vegetarian, I just call that a "sandwich," hahaha! In the summer, I take advantage of the fresh basil and tomatoes in the garden (basil is so $$ from the store!), add some fresh mozzarella from our cow (hee hee-- I wish I about the cow), and add mayo/vinegar/etc. I need to explore different breads-- would make it so much more interesting, Thanks for the fun thread and ideas!

Another (richer) version of insalata caprese is sometimes called Insalata Tricolore, where you alternate in sliced avocado with the mozz and basil. I also like miniature basil leaves instead of cut basil, it looks so pretty on the plate and stays light green.

Linelle, tomato sandwiches go back a few generations. My mother, born in 1921, was a big fan, but I always thought it was an odd sandwich. We didn't get many fresh vegetables in NY during my childhood, so home-grown and farmstand summer tomatoes, corn, green beans, etc. we're a big deal. You probably had year round veggies being from CA, and they were probably pretty good. I remember my first grocery store trip in CA and I couldn't believe how big the green beans were.

So, we've all been leaving off the final N. It's Hellmann's (according to what it says on my Best Foods label).

Tina, Cherokee Purples are simply the BEST. Meaty, juicy, sweet. Damn those rats.

May_flowers, growing up in CA spoiled all of us. We always had great produce year-round. However, my mom always had this ritual, whenever we had the first fruit or veggie of the season, we got to make a wish. Thanks Mom!

I think if anyone served up a sandwich with just a tomato there would have been some long faces. Hey, where's the bacon and lettuce?

It/s not quite tomato season here yet either-- the smaller varieties are in but it will likely be another week or two until they are amazing and in abundance. (I did miss the market this past week-- every one of the darn things-- so I can't say for sure that they aren't great. You'll see them, of course, but the earliest varieties are not the best for a tomato sandwich IMO)

Yes, I am in PA -- not too far from Berks or Lehigh Counties but not quite close enough to go just for veggies. (I DO know Delong's-- also the one in Perkasie) I am very close to Harrisburg-- and we have many farm stands and farmer's markets!

I do love a caprese salad but it's not a part of my tomato sandwiches! If I skip the sandwich, another favorite is just a nice thick slice of tomato with a scoop of tuna or white bean salad-- salt on the tomato, fresh ground pepper on everything!

I also love cucumbers this time of year-- never did a soup but I love a simple marinated cucumber, tomato and onion salad with fresh oregano-- and of course, cucumber water, lemonade and margaritas.

I don't really enjoy corn on the cob-- or anything you eat horizontally LOL.. but if I DO have corn on the cob, it's the late season Silver Queen. Another few weeks before that comes in too.

Really, I like all the veggies grown in this area-- but the best I've had this season were the spring onions. I picked up a few bunches at the farmer's market and I don't know what it was but this year they brought a flood of memories! They took me right back to my childhood when I used to keep a salt shaker in the garden shed for the spring onions and tomatoes just out of the ground/off the vine. I ate plenty of them just dipped in salt.. also grilled them (EVOO, salt and pepper) over charcoal and served them on burgers-- seriously the best burgers all summer!

Love seeing how everyone enjoys their tomatoes and the other summer veggies. There's something so perfect about the simple summer recipes-- they're all about showcasing the veg! Thanks for sharing!

Linelle, what a lovely tradition of making a wish on the first veggies & fruits of the season!

Great photo, Annie! Love the dots of EVOO.. are you the sandwich artist?

Funkyart, can you recommend a place to get an early dinner ( nothing fancy ) in the Hershey area. I have another item to pick up this week in Hershey but the fellow won't be hone until 7. I thought we'd grab a bite to eat before we met him so we're not driving home 2 hours in the dark. It looks like we get off the turnpike at Pa-72N and eventually get on US-322w. He's not too far from Cocoa Ave. Any ideas? I'd appreciate it.

DLM2000 i will have to convert you :-). I grew up with Hellmann's, thought it was all there was and all that, too, until i tried Kraft.....lighter, whiter, fluffier. Perfect for tomato sandwiches! (Which are not the craze now unless a craze lasts longer than forty years, lol!)

My parents (born just after WWI) were also big tomato sandwich fans. Just tomato, mayo, white bread. What more do you need, although some of the photos in this thread are making me hungry? To them you could get all fancy with a BLT, but never with a plain tomato sandwich.

Chickadee.. Oh you won't have a hard time finding a place to eat in Hershey! I've listed a few of nicer casual restaurants that I really like-- but there are plenty of other options-- more casual, more formal, more quirky. Let me know if you are looking for something specific and I may be able to give you a better recommendation.

Tratorria Fratelli is actually in
Lebanon-- a little out of the way, in the other direction but not too
far off 72/422. I rarely choose italian restaurants but this one is
definitely a fan favorite and worth going a little out of your way. You can eat big or small here .. the menu
changes seasonally and I've never been disappointed whether going
wood-fired pizza & salad or a multi-course meal. If it's a nice day, you can walk through the kitchen herb garden!

The Mill in Hershey is a
fairly new and right in Hershey. The menu looks pretty standard but
they are using their own twist to each dish-- and everything is fresh
and local-ish. They also have daily specials based on what's looking
good. Just the other day, someone posted a photo of the honey lavender
ice cream that had my mouth watering! It's also a place
where you can eat very light or more substantially.

And if you are beer enthusiasts:

Troeg's Brewery Tasting Room & Snack Bar:
I actually haven't eaten here but friends rave about it-- again, it's
one of those places where you can eat big or small and it has an
interesting, locally-focused menu... and beer (and brewery tours)

If
you are traveling on a Thursday, there's an open air farmer's market
with a number of local food artisans-- pasta, hummus, sweets, fresh ground
spices..

Let me know if you are looking for something different-- I am sure I can give you additional recommendations.

yes, you have to try a tomato sandwich with mustard!! but, I really like mustard and am not a huge mayo fan! a hearty bread is needed with mustard-- don't know if I would love it so much on white/crusty Italian bread- would have to go with a bit of balsamic then maybe!

love cucumber and onion salad- make it with seasoned rice vinegar- mild and yummy!!

Since everyone is going with mayo (well except for that poor, lone, mustard voice lol,) I'll toss a curve. I do love a simple tomato, mayo, and salt sandwich (maybe a slice of cheese at times,) but every once in a while I crave, and yes crave... a heavy drizzle of good Ex. Vir. Olive Earl. However, when the oil bug bites, the bread (usually whole grain, but a decent rye or pumpernickel is quite welcomed) must, be toasted.

THE tomato sammich - multi-grain or whole wheat bread (untoasted of course so it will fall apart in your hands), Duke's mayo (only available in the South I think and I will use Hellman's in a pinch), thick slabs of homegrown heirloom Cherokee Purple tomatoes, and a little salt or Jane's Crazy Salt. I grow them every year and they are by far our favorite for caprese salads and anything else needing a fresh tomato.

Adding anything else is certainly great and adds to the flavor...bacon, lettuce, basil, avocado...but you can't beat the simplicity of the basic sandwich.

Yes, outside playing! I was just going to post about Dukes! The true southern sandwich is white bread, homegrown tomatoes, Duke's mayo, and a bit of salt & pepper! :)

Oh, and CindyMac, if you haven't tried Sun Sugar's instead of Sun Gold, give them a try next year. I guarantee you will be a convert. I am and I thought nothing could beat Sun Gold. They are very similar but Sun Sugar doesn't crack as badly.

I've never had the cracking problem that some talk about on the Tomato Growing forum. Not sure why, but I'm not complaining. It could be that I pick the tomatoes before they're ripe and let them finish the process on the counter. I'll take a look at Sun Sugar and maybe add it to the list next year.

Well, I confirmed my mayo theory. I compared Saffola and Best Foods at the store, and Saffola has more grams of fat. So I think they water down Best Foods now. They've ruined so many good things, knowing that the younger generation will never know the difference.

I haven't noticed a change in Hellman's, but apparently some of you are in good company with your complaints. I wonder how many manufacturing plants they have and if that's a factor?

Hellman's -- Has Something Changed?

May try Duke's again. I'll have to remember to save a little of the Hellman's to compare.

I am not such a major mayo lover, but it HAS to be Hellmann's. That's all I ever knew, and I remember having some sort of salad at a special lunch when I graduated from college. It was NOT Hellmann's and I was convinced it was spoiled. (It was Kraft- ,, Eww!!(. To each his own.

All I can say is try Saffola or Trader Joe's and you'll remember that that's how mayo used to taste. They sell Saffola in a small jar.

Is Kraft Miracle Whip? That's what my mom bought. Not even mayonnaise.

CindyMac

Is Kraft Miracle Whip?

YUCK! NO NO NO NO! (IMHO)

Kraft makes Mayo too.

Oh, ok. I don't care for MW either, but I ate it for years not knowing there was something better, lol.

So, it wasn't my imagination that Hellmann's had declined in taste. :( I wondered if they had changed something so it would come out of those squeeze bottles easier.

Funkyart, thanks for the recommendations. That saved me a lot of time going through Trip Advisor and Yelp. I'll let you know where we ended up.

I will cry if they changed Hellmann's. For me it is about the mayo and tomato. So most kinds of bread toasted are OK. with just tomato and mayo. I don't need anything else. And they are yummy! My oldest son doesn't even want the mayo, just a bit of salt for him on the toasted bread. He prefers potato bread.

I never noticed a change 10 years ago but when I 'asked Hellman's' (website) if their formula has changed, this is the response:

"
Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise flavor, our specific ingredients, and our recipe have remained consistent over time. There have been no recipe changes for almost a decade. We collect consumer comments across a number of touch points, and overall we have seen a decrease in consumer complaints within the last year."

Not trying to hi jack this thread, but I notice that the different mayos are important. I had heard of Duke's mayo and being in Kansas, it is not sold here. Had a friend bring me back a jar from a trip south. I did a blind taste test with Kraft mayo, Hellman's and Duke's. Maybe my taster is not too discriminating, but I could not taste much difference in the three. Please enlighten me!

I don't notice much difference in Best Foods (Hellman's) and Kraft, but compared to the old flavor, it is different. I think it's been a gradual change. One of the things mentioned in the article CindyMac posted was texture, where yesterday's mayo was viscous and today's mayo is soupy. Eggs make a product viscous. The couple of homemade mayo recipes I looked at don't have water, and they don't even have egg white. So maybe the change is what gyr said--soupier to make it exit those squeeze bottles.

We neither one care much for mayo - just enough to wet the bread LOL. I used Kraft or Dukes

Cindymac - not to worry - he is eating plenty of tomatoes! He does get the occasional BLT but we are trying to eat a more plant based diet and less of the "white stuff". I don't tell him what to eat.

I've never seen Indian Stripes around here. I will have to ask. Also, cracks are usually from heavy rains - which we have had plenty of this year. For once we have a plus, not a deficit! But we are seeing some cracks in the tomatoes.

We've had a lot of rain this year too. April - June the amount was 1.5 times above average. Yet cracking wasn't a problem. Maybe it's my raised beds or the fact that I pick tomatoes before they're fully ripe. Don't know if you'll be able to find Indian Stripe, but your best bet would be a local nursery. I grow all my tomatoes from seed.

I've always thought tomato/mayonnaise sandwitches were a midwestern thing, popular in small towns where having a garden and growing your own tomatoes was almost expected. I had no clue they were such a summertime 'treat' in other states also.

A large Beefsteak tomato, almost red in color is my favorite! Two slices on a slice of white bread, a sprinkle of salt, two teaspoons of Hellmans, a second slice of bread, and you're good to go. Sometimes i'll add avacado, or slice it up and have it on the side. Adding too much ruins the goodness of the tomato.

Caprese is another favorite using the Beefsteaks cutting the slices on the thick side. A good mozzarella cheese also sliced thickly, fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic, and it's a meal in itself!(maybe a thick slice of crusty Italian bread to 'sop' up the juices too)! Adding a glass or two of Sangria tops it off.

I'd like to eat one before planting any. LOL We buy our heirloom plants from a small local nursery. I don't do seeds :). There is a lady at work that grows hers from seeds (heirloom) and I'll ask her if she's heard of them. I'm thinking they may not be too popular/easy to find here in our area. Hubby picks alot of ours early too - due to the birds!! We had some cracks - but not a problem as they are up near the stem end and pretty much what I would slice off anyway.

It's been my experience that Indian Stripe is more productive and produces a little earlier than Cherokee Purple. If your friend grows them maybe you could buy one from her and give it a trial run next year. If you lived near me I'd give you some for free. ;)

Indian Stripe vs Cherokee Purple discussion

Well durn Cindy!!! That's exactly how we ended up hooked on the Cherokee purple. There are two little produce markets we frequent. Last year the gal in one was showing us the CP tomato and we had never heard of it. She gave us one on the house and that's all it took! We were hooked.

Perhaps the quality of the eggs has declined, changing the flavor of the mayo... The pasteurization of the eggs would also remove most of the flavor, IMO.

I will have my tomato alone, sliced, no salt or pepper, pleaseI

I love tomatoes, but this year I have to rely on the farmer's market. My garden was an epic Failure this year, due to DH's hernia, and all the rain. I only got the peas, potatoes and carrots planted before the Johnson grass took over! The peas and carrots were great, though.

One summer I ate so many tomatoes I broke out in hives! Just goes to show ya, when something is good, it's really good! lol

My mom and my son have a tomato growing contest every summer and I am the beneficiary. I end up with tons of tomatoes and I just adore them. I put sliced tomato on every sandwich. I love grilled cheese and tomato, a burger with a thick slice of tomato and just plain tomato.

I bought an Indian Stripe plant at a local plant sale and it is growing ove at mom's. Not aure if she has harvested any of those yet. She also grows basil and I do love a good caprese salad. Everything must be fresh and the balsamic just right.

If any of you Pennsylvanians find yourself in the vicinity of Pete's Produce near the Westtown School, be sure to stop in. I had some corn from their that almost brought me to tears it was so delicious.

Tomato (preferably Black Krim), mayo, sourdough bread, sprinkle of sea salt.

Or, a BAT: Bacon, arugula (rocket) and tomato, mayo, toasted sourdough bread.

Diane, with the addition of some thinly sliced grilled chicken, you've described my favorite sandwich. I tried to make it along the lines of the first Pret a Manger sandwich I ever had, in London in 2002 or 2004, now I can't even remember, lol! Arugula is fab on almost any sandwich, IMO.

A grilled cheese is also yummy with tomato, thinly sliced. ;)

decided to change up my tomato sandwich today... instead of my usual mustard and tomato, I had tomato and fresh basil leaves on multigrain with a generous smear of garlic hummus... not bad.

Oh, and CindyMac, if you haven't tried Sun Sugar's instead of Sun Gold, give them a try next year. I guarantee you will be a convert. I am and I thought nothing could beat Sun Gold.

I plan on buying Sun Sugar seeds for next year, but couldn't resist a couple plants when I visited the nursery earlier this week. Our first freeze is typically mid November, so I should be able to harvest some. I'll let you know what I think. ;)

Oh my.. I lived on hummus sandwiches when I was in grad school. Open-faced, hummus on black bread... whatever veggies I had sliced on top. I bet yours was great with a summer tomatoes, Busy Bee!

I like a tomato on grilled cheese-- but not a summer tomato. They are too juicy freshly yum!

The NY Times had a piece on tomato sandwiches today.

I find the first part of the sandwich more attractive then her finish. I have had that tomato bread in Spain and it is delicious, but if folks have never seen it before it looks odd upon serving; like something fell off in the kitchen.

But, onion? NO no no. That is for lesser tomatoes. The quintessential summer tomato should not be sullied with onions (which I dearly love). There is also the matter of how much fat she used, between the oil and mayo? That would make me a little sick.

NYT re tomato sandwiches