THE GARDEN STATE ...HOMEGROWN TOMATOES

               A phone conversation yesterday with my 81 year old Dad who I will be visiting next week. "Dad, is there anything that I can bring you?"...thinking that he lives in Pennsylvania and probably can get just about anything his heart desires...his response...."Tomatoes, please bring down a few of those Jersey tomatoes...not the supermarket kind...the real Jersey kind. We can't get them here in Pennsylvania." 

               Well okay then. I expected a request for New York style bagels, which we can get here in Jersey, however, I was surprised by his desire for the tomatoes.

 

The fact of the matter is that year after year we have grown some amazingly delicious tomatoes in both our backyard garden and our plot in the community garden. This year though,  partially due to hurricane Sandy blowing down a huge tree right into our garden and also because we knew that we would be too busy, we did not plant tomatoes. We have, in fact been buying our Jersey tomatoes at the farmers market. 

Hard to admit this, but it is the truth. I miss the different flavors of our homegrown...the green zebras that tend to taste tangy and the golden yellow ones that are such a nice mellow counterpoint to the bright sweetness of the red ones. 

           We have already enjoyed our BLT's with the farmer's market bought Jersey tomatoes and of course there was a magnificent platter of fresh, creamy buffalo mozzarella fanned through with tomatoes, but my favorite way to enjoy a Jersey tomato is a nice thick slice on half a toasted New York style bagel, smeared with a little cream cheese and sprinkled with a bit of salt...summer time heaven. You can take the girl out of New York, but what a great combination you can get by mixing the best of New York and the best of New Jersey. I will be at the farmers market bright and early on Sunday morning for those tomatoes...wouldn't want to disappoint my Dad!

            

              

Comments

[Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti]

What I miss about the east is mainly food, and NJ tomatoes, and my Brooklyn garden tomatoes, are no exception!

Hope you will be able to plant your own tomatoes next year, Susan!

[Jenna Ericson]

Mmmmm.... I miss our heirlooms from the last couple of years.

We have to make bruschetta one day soon while the tomatoes are juicy and delicious!