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‘Tis The Season For Tasty Tomatoes
July 18, 2012
Tomatoes look pretty all year round now, but the hothouse products and even the pricier ‘vine-ripened’ varieties just don’t have the sweetness and flavour-burst of sun-kissed field tomatoes. Our field tomato season may last only a few short weeks, but it’s a time to celebrate.
Originally from South America, the tomato spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas (Thank you, conquistadors!). The slow-growing, heat-loving tomato is technically a fruit, but it’s considered a vegetable for culinary purposes – and the purposes are many.
Tomatoes are consumed raw in salads and sandwiches, used in all kinds of sauces, soups and other cooked dishes – and they even make a tasty drink. Even better, for our purposes, they pair beautifully with cheese.
My favourite in-season tomato dish is simple, like so many good things, but I can’t get enough of it. I take thick slices of tomato, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, top with a basil leaf, a slice of Tre Stelle® Bocconcini – the new pre-cut Medallions are ideal – then drizzle with olive oil and a few drops of aged balsamic vinegar.
Even the kids love fresh tomatoes. I have to fight the youngest for the cherries – he’ll strip the ripe ones right off the plant. Grilled Cheddar and tomato sandwiches are a popular seasonal lunch.
Wherever you source your field tomatoes – your own garden, the grocery store or the farmers market, there are plenty of recipe choices at trestelle.ca (96 featuring tomatoes to be exact) to help you make the most of this seasonal delight. Here are a few suggestions:
Bocconcini Pearl Filled Cherry Tomatoes: An easy but elegant appetizer. Tre Stelle® Bocconcini Pearls are marinated in olive oil, fresh herbs and garlic, then spooned inside cherry tomatoes with the pulp removed.
Pizza Margherita: The quintessential Italian pizza is at its best when tomatoes are in season. Don’t let the short ingredient list fool you – simplicity makes the flavours shine.
Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Linguini: Roasting concentrates the tomato flavour. Olive oil, Balsamic Cream, lots of fresh basil and the creamy richness of Tre Stelle® Ricotta make this a dish to remember.
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