By David Harbilas

I recently made this as a guest at another chef’s restaurant.

He had a large container filled with oysters still in their shell, in addition to some great looking heirloom tomatoes.

I figured that one of the best ways to pair the two things together was to use the tomatoes raw, so as to utilize their natural sweetness, and frying the oysters would give them some crunch and provide a contrast in the warm oysters against the cool salsa.

The bacon adds smoke, which is also provided by some spices added to the cornmeal breading.

Serves 1 appetizer portion

for the oysters:

• 5 oysters, shucked, shells reserved
• 1 egg beaten
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning Read the rest of this entry »
  
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By David Harbilas

Corn is seldom used in salads, and its sweetness makes it a perfect partner to tomatoes.

This also makes a wonderful sauce for grilled chicken or fish, though it is easier to make in a slightly “chunkier” salad, as it is here.

Serves 4

• 4 ears of corn, shucked
• 3 large vine ripe tomatoes, diced large
• 2 shallots, sliced
• About ½ head of a soft-leafed lettuce, like Boston or Bibb
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 4 tablespoons sugar Read the rest of this entry »
  
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By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Nothing beats a fresh tomato from one’s own garden.

Biting into the tomato is bliss that only the most famous poets can describe.

But another way the naked tomato can be served is the simple BLT.

I have often wondered who invented this so simple sandwich that practically covers all food groups in each bite.

The BLT can be rustic or gourmet and can be found at local dinners, fine dining establishments and even at the local gas station in the South. The simple BLT can be served for lunch and dinner or if on a low carb diet as a salad. The following recipes create 1 serving.

Basic BLT

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• 2 tomato slices Read the rest of this entry »
  
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By Vanessa Richins

There are quite a few interesting members of the Solanaceae, or Nightshade Family.

Of course, tomato is the most important, but here are some of the others.

Potatoes: We are all familiar with the potato. You should be careful planting potatoes and tomatoes near each other, because they can get some of the same diseases.

You could also save room in your garden and graft a tomato plant to the top of a potato plant. The yield for both will be less than if you Read the rest of this entry »

By Kira Hamman

Check out this picture my brother sent me of a tomato he grew in his garden in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Wow, right?

How do you grow whopping tomatoes like this?

To be honest, I don’t usually even try, because I don’t have the patience. I’d rather eat a delicious normal-sized tomato, or ten, than wait for a whopper that I can brag to my friends about. Still, there’s something compelling about tomatoes the size of small dogs. They’re so county fair, so… summer.

If you want to try it, the first thing is to Read the rest of this entry »

By Thomas Cenci

Avocados are now ripe in abundance and it’s time to make that famous duo of tomato and avocados.

From salads to salsas, it’s a classic combination that we all love.

Ingredients:
• 1 ripe avocado
• ½ small onion
• 1 small red chilli
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
• 15 cherry tomatoes, quartered Read the rest of this entry »