my grandfather loves his backyard. growing up i remember him holding the hose constantly watering his flower pots and fruit trees while i swam and splashed in his pool. my bare feet would sting as i ran on the hot summer cement to steal a plum or an apricot. those summers my chlorine-filled eyes were always bloodshot and my hands were always sticky. i ate as many wonderful fruits as his trees would allow and was curious as to why the things he grew tasted a million times better than produce from the market. i was 7.
at 23 i have a obvious understanding of why a plum picked off a tree tastes better than one flown in from chile but there's still a level of craftsmanship i don't throughly comprehend. i've tried dozens of times to grow simple things like rosemary and cilantro and i still can't get the hang of it. my grandpa can grow a zucchini that has more flavor than a piece of lamb and that skill is something inherent and something i don't possess. maybe it stems from his poor childhood when he was forced to pick his way through fields of ripe fruits and veggies or maybe, just maybe, he's lucky. either way, my papa joe gave me some of his tomatoes....
cooking a papa joe homegrown tomato seems like a travesty of justice. it tastes so good all on its own. i mainly have been eating them sliced thin with a pinch of sea salt and a little good olive oil. when a buddy came over hungry i wanted to show off a bit so i decided to whip up this quick bruschetta. the equation ended up like this = tomatoes + toast > tomatoes.
homegrown tomatoes with balsamic and dill bruschetta.
adapted from martha stewart living
serves 2
- one tomato
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- crushed red pepper flakes
- chopped chives
- dill sprigs
- salt & pepper
- 2 slices of sourdough bread
- chop the tomato and toss with balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, chopped chives, and a pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes. salt and pepper to taste. let stand.
- heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add the sourdough slices. flip slices when toasted (about three minutes) and repeat. sprinkle toasts with a pinch of salt.
- spoon tomato mixture onto toasts, and garnish with a few dill sprigs.
