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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

A song about home grown tomatoes!

I was thinking about writing my own "ode to the tomato" but then I came across this song, written by Guy Clark and performed by John Denver that says it all!  Click here for the YouTube video.

One of my early childhood memories is that of a tomato sandwich made with home grown tomatoes of course!  This is simplicity at its finest & tastiest & is the essence of summer!  For those of you who have never experienced this Southern treat, here's how to put your tomato sandwich together:

You need two slices of the freshest white bread that you can find... Sunbeam is perfect.*
 You need a good quality mayonnaise to spread on the top of each slice of bread .. our family is partial to Hellman's but many Southerners swear by Duke's.  Slice your home grown tomatoes - I leave the peel on but my sisters decidely peel theirs!
As I've said before, tomatoes love salt, so liberally salt and pepper the tomato slices and place them on the mayo on one slice.  Slap the two slices together and voila you have summer between two slices of bread!  I know you'll have a smile on your face too!  I'd love to hear your thoughts & recipes to compare notes!

*OK, I know that the tomato sandwich of my childhood was made with white Sunbeam bread.  It's delicious made with home baked bread, whole grain bread, or just your favorite bread whatever that is!  But, there's NO substitute for the home grown tomatoes... store bought won't work so if you don't grow your own, head to your farmer's market!

Now here's the lyrics to that song "Home Grown Tomatoes"


There aint nothin in the world that I like better
Than bacon n lettuce n home grown tomatoes
Up in the mornin, out in the garden
Get you a ripe one, don't pick a hard 'un
Plant 'em in the spring, eat em in the summer
All winter without em is a culinary bummer
I forget all about the sweatin and the diggin
Every time I go out and pick me a big un

Homegrown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What would life be like without homegrown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes

You can go out to eat an that's for sure
But there's nothin a home grown tomatoe won't cure
Put em in a salad, put em in a stew
You can make your own tomato juice
You can eat em with eggs, eat em with gravy
You can eat em with beans, pinto or navy
Put em on the side, put em in the middle
Home grown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle

Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What would life be like without home grown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes

If Is to change this life I lead
You could call me Johnny Tomato Seed
Cause I know what this country needs
Home grown tomatoes in every yard you see
When I die don't bury me
In a box in a cold dark cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
Cause I could be pushin up a home grown tomatoe

Homegrown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What would life be like without home grown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes

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