The tomato sandwich

Anyone who knew me growing up knew that I didn’t like tomatoes. I mean, it wasn’t a small dislike, but I really disliked them and avoided a chunk of raw tomato at all costs. No wedges on the salad for me, no pico de gallo, absolutely no slices on a sandwich, and never in a million years would I eat a salad that was mostly tomato.

I had an older cousin who disliked them as well and I pointed to her often when people told me I would like them when I grew up. She was an adult and she didn’t like them.

But then something happened. I ate some fresh cherry tomatoes and… I liked them? I decided at that point (my mid-thirties) to try to grow a tomato plant and chose a sun gold cherry tomato variety. Reader, I loved them. They’re like candy freshly picked and I loved eating them raw. So I kept growing those and then tried various other types.

I still only grow cherry tomatoes myself, but I’ve been buying gorgeous heirlooms from the coop and our CSA and, yeah, I don’t think anyone gave me tomatoes like these when I was a kid. I’m sure they didn’t.

This summer I’ve been reading Jenny Rosenstrach’s newsletters and she raved, in several of them, about tomato sandwiches. I was intrigued. They were so simple: toasted bread, mayo, fresh slices of the best tomato, and some salt and pepper. I tried it. I loved it. I’ve been eating them most days for lunch. I guess I’m fully converted now, here at mid life, I like tomatoes, I love them. Does this mean I’m grown up now?