Reflection:

Tomatoes are a family affair. They have left an imprint that has been with me since I was a young boy growing up in Brittany. The planting was done in early June at my uncle Jean’s garden patch located a couple of miles from the Atlantic coast. Being close to the ocean, the tomatoes were harvested mid to late September. Chicken manure was his secret weapon in making the field our Garden of Eden. The seven feet tall vines – at least a hundred of them – would produce a rainbow of colorful, large fruits weighing up to 2 pounds each. Running through the fields with my cousins playing hide and seek and slapping the leaves with our palms would leave a distinct aroma all over our clothing, which would get us in trouble. The garden patch was off limits! Often being caught, we would have to harvest bushels of tomatoes that we would carry back to my grandmother’s kitchen. It was tomato heaven. She was a wizard and had many applications from ratatouille, oven dried, and jam…or just the simple tomato salad that showcased the sweetness and their delicate flavor.

Tip:

• Tomatoes originated in the highlands of the west coast of South America thousands of years ago. They are a fruit, and should never be refrigerated. The acid will peak and the sugar will vanish.

• The best seasoning for tomatoes is Fleur de Sel, extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

• A good investment is to buy a tomato knife. It is safer for you to use and will preserve your other knives’ edge.

• If tomatoes are picked unripened, place in a paper bag to ripen. Or make sure to buy tomatoes on the vine. The most flavorful tomatoes are found at your local farmer’s market…from the vine to your table.

• The heaviest tomato ever recorded weighed at 7 lbs. 12 oz., grown in Oklahoma. The largest tomato plant was 65 feet in Lancashire, England.