The Tomato Sandwich

“It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” – Lewis Gizzard

In the South, the simple act of making a tomato sandwich is a sacred ritual. The key to a perfect tomato sandwich lies in the quality of the ingredients - ripe, juicy tomatoes, fresh bread, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper.

Ingredients-particularly the brand of mayonaise- are politely debated.

The magic of the tomato sandwich is in its simplicity and in how it captures the essence of summer in every bite. It's a celebration of the season's bounty and a reminder of the fundamental pleasures in life. Whether enjoyed on a hot summer day or as a quick and satisfying meal, the tomato sandwich holds a special place in the hearts of those who appreciate its humble yet delicious nature.

Its exalted status in the South is a testament to the enduring appeal of this unassuming culinary delight.

Tomatoes ideally would be home-grown or local heirlooms. Rock-hard, gassed, supermarket tomatoes-likely from faraway places-should be avoided. Bread? The consensus is soft white bread. Mayonaise: Duke’s, Hellman’s or Blue Plate are overwhelmingly favored, but Bama, a regional product, is quite flavorful.

Renowned cookbook author, and celebrity cook Lynne Tolley is the grandniece of Jack Daniel and is the person I most closely associate with the legendary Tennessee Whiskey. When she talks about the South and Southern cooking, the culinary world listens attentively. “Miss Lynn,” graciously provided her recipe for a tomato sandwich.

Lynchburg Tomato Sandwich

Always use white, old-fashioned bread;

Dry your tomato slices on paper towels before you begin then generously sprinkle with salt & pepper;

Always use Duke's mayo that you spread edge to edge;

Use heirloom tomatoes, if available;

Eat standing over the kitchen sink to allow the juices to run down your arms.

She added that this sandwich is “popular in the South because we grow the best tomatoes!”

Richard Lewis is immersed in Southern food traditions. The Mississippi native, now retired from Virginia tourism, believes “the tomato sandwich [should be] on the Mount Rushmore of favorite Southern foods, along with fried chicken, sweet tea and homemade biscuits.”

Why, I asked, is this sandwich so loved in the South? “Besides deliciousness,” Lewis responded, “it comes down to economy and availability. Like many Southern things, the tomato sandwich was born in poverty. The Southern heat is just right for growing a good tomato, and the soil is also an ally. Tomatoes, therefore, have probably been on the tables of many or most Southern households for at least 125 years.”

As for the sandwich itself, Mr. Lewis continued, “the classic rendering is a meaty, ripe, tomato slice; stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth white bread; mayo on both slices; and salt and pepper. Find me a better sandwich than that!”

A tomato sandwich can be ruined. “Unfortunately, Said Lewis, “the picked-too-soon and sent-to-the-gas-chamber tomatoes found in large, chain grocers have been drained of most of the taste. If not growing your own, farm stands throughout the south are the best places to find the deep red goodness of real tomatoes. Ideally, one good midsection slice of a perfectly ripe tomato, maybe a quarter of an inch thick, and reaching to the crust on all four sides of the bread, makes for the best sandwich.”

Tennessee Raconteur David Hazelwood with Lane, his Golden Retriever

“There's a reason tomato sandwiches should only be eaten in the summer,” observed Normandy, Tennessee restauranteur, farmer and noted cookbook author David Hazelwood. “That’s when the homegrown tomatoes are at their best.

He added that “[r]ecently, at the Normandy famers market I had to explain to a traveler from the northeast about the tomatoes he was admiring. ‘How much are these tomatoes? he asked. ‘Those aren't tomatoes I replied. They are ‘maters. He still looked puzzled, but I didn't rescue him on Southern lore.”

Why are tomato sandwiches so popular in the South? “Like blackeyed peas, collard greens and corn bread,” replied Hazelwood, “hard pressed Southerners ate what was available. Any gardener knows no one will give you tomatoes from their first harvest in June, but wait until August and they will leave a bushel basket of tomatoes on your front porch in the middle of the night.”

Regarding tomato sandwiches, David Hazelwood’s “are pretty traditional, except for the bread. I'm prejudiced,” he revealed, “to my fresh baked sourdough bread. The tang of the sourdough adds another layer of complexity to the taste. My holy trinity is bread, mayonaise, and 'mater. I start with a liberal spread of mayonaise on each slice of bread. Then I add a thick slice of Beefsteak 'mater, big enough to cover a whole slice of bread and still hang over the edge. The Beefsteak variety has the acid you want to trigger the taste buds on the back corners of your tongue that lets you know this is a real ‘mater.”

What to drink with this Southern classic: Iced Tea or Coca-Cola? “I know it's not Southern, Hazelwood said, “but this sandwich cries out for a cold, crisp Sauvignon Blanc.”

https://original.newsbreak.com/@doc-lawrence-1599273/3495857884242-sacred-simplicity-the-tomato-sandwich?s=ws_em