Nothing says summertime quite like a ripe and juicy tomato. I can remember as a child having them all day long. At breakfast, we would have grits, eggs, bacon and sliced tomatoes. Then for lunch, it was a tomato sandwich, and dinnertime brought stewed tomatoes with squash and onions. I did not particularly like tomatoes as a child, but if they were growing in the garden, we were eating them.  As I got older my taste for them developed, and now I look forward to them each year.

Tomatoes are really a simple food. You can eat them raw, grilled, broiled, boiled, canned, sautéed or fried. They also happen to be healthy and have many nutritional qualities.  They actually are better for you than apples.  They are low in calories and fat, but are a rich source of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Tomatoes help control cholesterol, aide in weight reduction, supply great antioxidants, contain lycopene which helps protect your skin and are very high in potassium and vitamins A and C.

There are over 1,000 varieties of tomatoes grown by local farmers as well as home gardeners. Tomatoes are one of the easiest and most common things you can grow at home.  All you need is a small bed or flower pot, and a little attention. At the restaurant, local growers provide us with a range of tomatoes including:  Heirloom, Early Girl, Primo Red, Goliath, Trust, Geronimo, Sun Sugar, Plum, Better Boy and my favorites, German Johnson or Cherokee Purple.  Another popular Southern dish is fried green tomatoes. These are simply any variety of tomato picked before they turn red, then sliced, battered and fried.

This month we will highlight a very simple, but delicious Southern recipe. It is my version of the perfect tomato sandwich.

Rhett’s Tomato Sandwich

2 pieces of your favorite white bread (very lightly toasted)

2 slices vine ripened tomatoes, peeled

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dukes Mayonnaise

Lay tomato slices on a paper towel, lightly salt and pepper, and let rest.  Lightly toast bread and spread mayonnaise on both slices.  Place sliced tomatoes in the middle and enjoy!  Or for an upscale taste, add fresh mozzarella cheese and basil.

Do you have your own version of the perfect tomato sandwich?  Share your special recipe by e-mailing  rhett@rhettsinc.com.

Morris, owner of Rhett’s Restaurant, Personal Chef & Catering in Southern Pines, can be reached at (910) 695-3663.