I too have this weird think about tomatoes. I don't like pizza bacause of ten marinara sauce but love a ragu. I will eat cherry tomatoes by the pint but not touch a beefsteak. I refuse to touch a tomato soup of any kind but then I love Gaz. It is very weird.
I do love roasted cherry tomatoes, I do a Middle East version from Diana Henry's book with garlic and saffron that I top over hummus.
Thank you for recommending the Flavour books, I have searching for this type of book for a while
Lovely photos as always, especially the fennel stalk.
Haha - as I said above, I am so glad it's not just me! I will look up that recipe, the combination with the saffron sounds wonderful! Thanks for reading!
Wendy, another beautiful piece! This is the first time I have seen reference to cinnamon and tomatoes outside my Italian-in-Belgium Tante Redenta’s tomato sauce recipe. I remember getting a hard time from my culinary school instructor when I added some cinnamon to a tomato sauce. VINDICATION!!! hahahahahahhahahaa It’s so amazing how these little recipes travel!
Wendy, the solution to your tomato woes is an Indian tomato curry/sabji or a tomato chutney. For the curry, Just cook chopped tomatoes in tadka (vege oil & black
Mustard seeds) with ground coriander & red chile powder & salt. Tastes great with rice.
I LOVE tomatoes. Actually just putting my 24 plants in the ground that will give me tomatoes for about 11 months every year. The other month, I just don't use tomatoes. I love them raw with salt, especially standing in my green house with the tomato water running down my chin. Tomato sandwiches are better than BLTs, tomato tartes, raw tomatoes with salt and olive oil (never use vinegar with tomatoes - they are acid, no need to add more), someone talked about roasted tomatoes with hummus - a staple in my house (though I probably add either tiny merguez or roasted lamb with it), a real nicoise salad, I cannot get enough tomatoes... it also helps explain why I grow 72 basil plants every year.
I get you. If I’m eating raw tomatoes I struggle. And if they’re the tiniest bit unripe, no way. And the stalky white bit in the middle can freak me out sometimes, but sometimes it doesn’t bother me. Cooked and blitzed into a sauce, no problem. Roasted whole, no problem. And cherry tomatoes, err, sometimes I can eat them raw, other times they’re passed to Donna. Apart from that, I like them.
I love this! I was working on a cherry tomato and mascarpone tart yesterday, you have given me some great ideas for flavour tweaks. And I love Niki Signit's work too, I return to her books over and over.
Also, very envious of your little orchard. How lovely!
I’ve almost given up eating out of season tomatoes using tins and puree tubes as they’re so tasteless and planet unfriendly. Love the sound of slow roasted cinnamon tomatoes though
Agreed, the tins and purees are really just better out of season. In our time in Morocco we have seen such growth in the export market, not just tomatoes, but all sorts vegetables, berries and other fruits that rely heavily on water, in a water scarce country. It is quite concerning!
I can’t say I can relate because I really enjoy tomatoes (with the exception of a Bloody Mary ..no thanks). Still, I do enjoy reading above your perspective. :) Tomatoes with cinnamon makes a lot of sense. I’ve never combined them in such a straightforward way (usually it’s with onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, too). Thank you for this food for thought - literally!
Oh! And you’ve reminded me about making flavored vinegars. That’s something I’ve been meaning to do. Summer feels like the right time for this undertaking :)
Gorgeous pictures and wonderful writing. I confess now I'm curious about tomatoes with cinnamon. The next time I get farm fresh tomatoes I'm going to have to try that.
You must try mint tomatoes chutney including- mint leaves, roasted tomatoes, salt according to taste, garlic, pea nut and bit of lemon juice in last for more bitter taste of you like.
I love tomatoes in an almost irrational way Wendy. Feel as though there is no food in the house if I run out. Like now. I must go immediately to the shops. 🤣
I too have this weird think about tomatoes. I don't like pizza bacause of ten marinara sauce but love a ragu. I will eat cherry tomatoes by the pint but not touch a beefsteak. I refuse to touch a tomato soup of any kind but then I love Gaz. It is very weird.
I do love roasted cherry tomatoes, I do a Middle East version from Diana Henry's book with garlic and saffron that I top over hummus.
Thank you for recommending the Flavour books, I have searching for this type of book for a while
Lovely photos as always, especially the fennel stalk.
Haha - as I said above, I am so glad it's not just me! I will look up that recipe, the combination with the saffron sounds wonderful! Thanks for reading!
https://www.abowlofsugar.com/post/sweet-saffron-roasted-tomatoes-with-labneh
Wendy, another beautiful piece! This is the first time I have seen reference to cinnamon and tomatoes outside my Italian-in-Belgium Tante Redenta’s tomato sauce recipe. I remember getting a hard time from my culinary school instructor when I added some cinnamon to a tomato sauce. VINDICATION!!! hahahahahahhahahaa It’s so amazing how these little recipes travel!
Haha, thats funny! I had heard about nutmeg in Italian sauces but never cinnamon. So interesting.
Now that I have tomatoes I can think clearly.🤣
Haha!
Wendy, the solution to your tomato woes is an Indian tomato curry/sabji or a tomato chutney. For the curry, Just cook chopped tomatoes in tadka (vege oil & black
Mustard seeds) with ground coriander & red chile powder & salt. Tastes great with rice.
Now that I would totally eat! Thanks Annada!
I LOVE tomatoes. Actually just putting my 24 plants in the ground that will give me tomatoes for about 11 months every year. The other month, I just don't use tomatoes. I love them raw with salt, especially standing in my green house with the tomato water running down my chin. Tomato sandwiches are better than BLTs, tomato tartes, raw tomatoes with salt and olive oil (never use vinegar with tomatoes - they are acid, no need to add more), someone talked about roasted tomatoes with hummus - a staple in my house (though I probably add either tiny merguez or roasted lamb with it), a real nicoise salad, I cannot get enough tomatoes... it also helps explain why I grow 72 basil plants every year.
Fantastic - that's a lot of basil plants! The tomato, hummus, merguez combo is a good one.
I get you. If I’m eating raw tomatoes I struggle. And if they’re the tiniest bit unripe, no way. And the stalky white bit in the middle can freak me out sometimes, but sometimes it doesn’t bother me. Cooked and blitzed into a sauce, no problem. Roasted whole, no problem. And cherry tomatoes, err, sometimes I can eat them raw, other times they’re passed to Donna. Apart from that, I like them.
White stalk a definite no-no! Sounds like I am not alone in my tomato struggles!
You’re definitely not alone.
I love this! I was working on a cherry tomato and mascarpone tart yesterday, you have given me some great ideas for flavour tweaks. And I love Niki Signit's work too, I return to her books over and over.
Also, very envious of your little orchard. How lovely!
Thanks Shell - ooo, that sounds delicious! Her books are great.
I’ve almost given up eating out of season tomatoes using tins and puree tubes as they’re so tasteless and planet unfriendly. Love the sound of slow roasted cinnamon tomatoes though
Agreed, the tins and purees are really just better out of season. In our time in Morocco we have seen such growth in the export market, not just tomatoes, but all sorts vegetables, berries and other fruits that rely heavily on water, in a water scarce country. It is quite concerning!
It is! And I put Morocco and tomatoes in my book for this reason
I can’t wait to read it, next up in my reading pile!
I can’t say I can relate because I really enjoy tomatoes (with the exception of a Bloody Mary ..no thanks). Still, I do enjoy reading above your perspective. :) Tomatoes with cinnamon makes a lot of sense. I’ve never combined them in such a straightforward way (usually it’s with onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, too). Thank you for this food for thought - literally!
Oh! And you’ve reminded me about making flavored vinegars. That’s something I’ve been meaning to do. Summer feels like the right time for this undertaking :)
Thanks Leslie - glad you are safe from the tomato issues ;)
Keep us update on the vinegars, it's something I have been wanting to do for ages as well - and yes, great summer project.
Gorgeous pictures and wonderful writing. I confess now I'm curious about tomatoes with cinnamon. The next time I get farm fresh tomatoes I'm going to have to try that.
Thank you Mira! Let me know what you think when you do.
You must try mint tomatoes chutney including- mint leaves, roasted tomatoes, salt according to taste, garlic, pea nut and bit of lemon juice in last for more bitter taste of you like.
Ok - now that I could probably go with as well! Sounds wonderful. Thanks Shree.
I like tomatoes, but I have a strong preference for the ones that had actually sun. In the Netherlands the watery ones from the greenhouses are mjehh.
I’m looking forward to try out one of your recipes!
Thanks Marloes, yes, they definitely need the sun!
Sorry I meant picky tomato eater-not sure why my phone keep doing this. 🤔😱
I understood exactly what you meant there ..haha!
Same here Wendy, I am a picky tomato water.😂 Your "wild" garden is gorgeous.🌻
Thank you! I am so glad we started it a few years back as it brings a lot of joy.
Loved your post Wendy, there’s not a dish you’ve written about that I would enjoy.
I love tomatoes in an almost irrational way Wendy. Feel as though there is no food in the house if I run out. Like now. I must go immediately to the shops. 🤣
Lols - And you do wonderful meals with them as well!!