The Alaskan Gold Standard

[delphia2ohohoh]

Waxing poetic first thing in the morning as I sip that first cuppa coffee.

You'd think I was going to talk about gold here, but I'm not. I'm talking tomatoes. In the lower 48, people use the phrase 'rare as hen's teeth.' Up here, we say, 'rare as a good tomato in winter.' Now, much as I don't like having to depend on other countries for our food supply, I have to admit, I love a good tomato and I can fully appreciate our small world when it nets me not just a good tomato, but a good one in winter. One of our more expensive grocery stores had tomatoes on the vine for only $1.99 a pound this week and we indulged joyfully. That may sound a bit pricey to some, but the usual price in winter is $3.99-4.99 for the good ones, and even the good ones can be marginal. And yes, there are days when there are NONE to had at any price.

Hey wait, you say...aren't you the state that produces those giant veggies? 100 lb cabbages and pumpkins? Well, yes, but tomatoes take a longer growing season and if you don't have a greenhouse, forget about growing tomatoes in Alaska. Even the 'Early Girl' variety that was specifically produced for those of us who reside near the Arctic Circle still doesn't do well without that extra help. Best way to meet your neighbors is to walk over with a couple fresh picked tomatoes from your greenhouse and you will have a friend for life. They'll walk your dog and shovel your snow for those babies.

Salad is, of course, the first thought that comes to mind, but the same weather that makes it hard to get a good 'mater is hard on good greens too. Instead, my first choice for eating a good tomato is to add a tiny drizzle of EVOO, and a tiny sprinkle of garlic salt over slices and just eat altho I've occasionally indulged just biting in as if it were an apple.

Second choice, chop to a small dice, add the EVOO, garlic salt, oregano and basil, then sliced black olives and julianned hard salami. Throw that room-temp mix over hot pasta and dig in. Heavenly. The sulky teen will steal any leftovers of that one. Sometimes, he'll just steal my plate if I set it down.

Third choice, again small dice and sprinkle on top of a cheese omelet along with a dab of sour cream. The DH is happy to have sliced tomatoes along side his over-easy eggs along with a grind of fresh pepper for his breakfast.

We keep them at room temp for maximum flavor so they don't last long and must be eaten fairly soon. I tend to have them at 2 out of 3 meals per day while they last. This morning, I'm thinking scrambled eggs with a handful of diced tomato on top, whole wheat English muffin to go with this good cup of coffee. Skol. :oD

Comments

[or-mabinogi.livejournal.com]

Personally, I can't stand tomatoes. But you sound like you're in heaven with them right now, so I'm happy for you. You can eat my share too.

I've seen my parents simply slice the tomato and sprinkle a little salt over them. That actually sounds quite boring compared to your suggestions. I may pass those along for them.

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is so good for you and just made for tomatoes! Try the pasta without the toms then...still good with salami and olives and the olive oil.

[or-mabinogi.livejournal.com]

Oh! I must remember to look for olive oil at the store today, too.

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

Even here in Pennsylvania it's hard to find good tomatoes in the winter. You can find them but many of them just don't have that "good, juicy" taste.

But I buy them anyway cause I love tomatoes...

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

They take the poor things and expose them to some kind of gas to make them red, but they aren't really ripe when they do that. No wonder they taste like crapola. :oP

[duck-wrangler.livejournal.com]

MMMMMm.... good tomatoes in winter are a godsend! In the summer I eat them with garlic, fresh basil and EVOO.... yummmmm!!!!!!!! The winter version just aren't the same!

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

I can't seem to keep basil plants alive or I'd be using that. My parsley died too, but my chives are still alive under the gro lite.

[amnellwyvern.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, tomoatoes.... I need to find out where my fav greek restaurant gets their tomatoes from. They seriously have the best tomatoes on the planet. Even Sweepea claimed to like them and she is a self proclaimed hater of all tomatoes.

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

Ummm greek food! Yum! Can't have good gyros without the tomatoes.