Skip to main content

How to Make the Tomato Sandwich, According to a Tomato Farmer?


 

Breaking it down step-by-step for a taste of perfection.


tomato sandwich halves on a cutting board next to a bowl of mayo and a plate with more tomato sandwiches,


Tomato sandwiches have the highest ceiling and the lowest floor. 

An out-of-season tomato slapped between two slices of sandwich bread is simply nothing to write home about, while a juicy, colorful tomato nestled between crusty bread is a peak summer meal for me.



The difference lies in the quality of ingredients and a thoughtful process. 

Because most people probably put less thought into their tomato sandwiches than yours truly, I did the dirty work for you and called up an expert to talk about tomato sandwiches—all in a day’s work. 


Craig Lehoullier, a tomato farmer, author, and educator based in North Carolina with New England roots, knows what it takes to elevate a simple tomato sandwich into a sublime experience. 

Through years of cultivating tomatoes and experimenting with ingredients, Craig has honed the art of what I would consider the perfect tomato sandwich, or what he refers to as “summer heaven.”


The Best Tomato for a Perfect Tomato Sandwich

The journey to an exceptional tomato sandwich begins with picking the right tomato at the right time. Craig recommends visiting a local farmer's market or selecting heirloom varieties from a well-stocked grocery store for those looking to buy a tomato.


Craig’s absolute favorite variety for a tomato sandwich is a Cherokee Purple, and his next favorite options are yellow heirloom or beefsteak. 

He suggested avoiding tomatoes with cracks and never refrigerating them, as this diminishes their flavor and texture.



For those growing their tomatoes, Craig advises picking your tomatoes when they are halfway ripened rather than letting them become completely ripe on the vine. 

Craig reports, “Tomatoes that ripen on the vine, while delicious, are prone to cracking and are more likely to attract pests. 

Once you pick your half-ripe tomato, put it on your kitchen counter to complete the ripening process.

 Don’t put it on the sunny windowsill; certainly, do not store them in the fridge.” 


How To Build Your Tomato Sandwich?

Craig's approach to building a tomato sandwich reflects his unique culinary philosophy. Contrary to traditional recipes, he is staunchly anti-mayonnaise. Here are his steps for making the perfect sandwich.


Cut thick slices of your juicy heirloom tomatoes. 

Cut two slices of bread from a crusty loaf of sourdough. 

Craig recommends an artisanal or self-baked sourdough loaf with a whole wheat blend. 

This is where things get interesting. 

Craig recommends adding a sharp cheddar cheese, like Shelburne aged cheddar or Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar, cut into thin slices.


To assemble the sandwich, spread butter evenly on the outside of your slices of bread.

 Craig prefers salted butter here, but more important than the type of butter is to achieve an even layer of butter, which will help achieve the crispiest bread.


Once your bread is buttered, add half of the slices of cheese to the inside of the bread. 

This will help secure the tomato in the middle and prevent it from slipping out. 

Now add the tomato, then top that with the rest of the thinly sliced cheese. 



Cook the sandwich in a hot skillet until the bread is crispy, the cheese melts beautifully, and the tomato warms through, infusing the sandwich with rich summer flavor. 

See why Craig calls it “summer heaven?"


Easy Upgrades for Your Tomato Sandwich

While Craig has largely adopted a vegetarian diet, influenced by his wife of 44 years, he mentions that adding bacon could enhance the sandwich without overshadowing the other flavors. 

Fresh basil leaves are also a delightful addition if available.

#fyp #viralpost #boosting #trending #highlighted #everyone #kabir1989storyworld

#RACHELLEVIN

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Man Who Invented The "Psychopath"?

The Man Who Invented the “Psychopath”? Hervey Cleckley, an influential psychiatrist, is often credited with shaping modern understandings of psychopathy, even though his original intent was to help rather than stigmatize those affected. His 1941 work, The Mask of Sanity, was pivotal, as it introduced the concept of the psychopath as a specific personality type with 16 distinct traits. Cleckley described individuals who seemed outwardly rational but exhibited shallow emotions, lacked empathy, and engaged in destructive behaviors, though often without malice. Cleckley’s perspective was initially sympathetic; he saw these individuals as “forgotten” by psychiatry—people who needed understanding and treatment. However, as psychopathy entered the public lexicon, the term was quickly associated with malice, violence, and even inhumanity. Cleckley’s nuanced portrait of the psychopath was adapted by later researchers like Robert Hare, who created the widely used Psychopathy Checklist, a t...
Post a Comment
Read more

How Often Should You Blog? A Guide to Ideal Posting Frequency

Blogging consistently is key to keeping your audience engaged and growing your reach. However, just having a blog isn’t enough. To attract traffic, establish your brand, or generate leads, you need a steady flow of fresh, valuable content. But how often should you post to get results? Here’s the answer: there’s no universal number of posts per week that’s perfect for every blog. Finding your ideal blogging frequency depends on your niche, audience size, content quality, and your goals. Here’s how to determine what’s right for you. --- Key Factors for Deciding Blog Frequency 1. Goals and Audience Define your primary goal: brand awareness, thought leadership, or sales? Different goals may require different paces. Understand your audience’s preferences. A tech guide blog may thrive with in-depth, less frequent posts, while a news blog benefits from regular updates. 2. Blog Age and Maturity Newer blogs need frequent, high-quality posts to establish a presence. As the blog matures and gains...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Conduct Audience Research For SEO:A Simplified Guide!

To excel in SEO, understanding what your audience searches for and why is crucial. Audience research unveils the intent behind search queries, helping you align strategies with user needs. This approach can uncover search behaviors, map audience intent, and identify SEO opportunities, even with limited resources. Traditional Audience Research: Methods and Challenges Traditional audience research focuses on demographic, psychographic, and behavioral insights to build audience personas. It often involves: Surveys: To gather customer feedback. Focus Groups and Interviews: To understand audience preferences and behaviors. However, as advertising pioneer David Ogilvy noted, traditional research can be flawed because people often don’t act as they say. Tools like Similarweb, Audiense, and Brandwatch can assist in audience segmentation but may not fully capture search behavior or intent. A Better Approach: Audience Research for SEO SEO-focused audience research analyzes search behavior to unc...
Post a Comment
Read more