What would a Carolina summer without tomatoes look like? Our B.L.’s — dry — with no T.’s? Our countertops and windowsills — naked — with no cheery red fruits? Dinners out — incomplete — with no ’mater starters (not the green ones, fried, or the heirlooms, sliced and swimming in balsamic vinegar)? Lucky for us, we can have our tomatoes and eat them, too: on sandwiches, in cocktails, atop pasta, and even, for some of us, on barbecue. This month, we pay homage to our favorite fruit-not-vegetable. We don’t have to imagine a summer without tomatoes, because we’ve seen the future of Carolina cuisine, and it looks rosy (and also green and a little orange).
Our Summer Food
Tomatoes, much like summer, must be cherished, savored, enjoyed for as long as possible.
Update a Classic: Tomato Sandwich
Sure, the sandwich of summer is wonderful just the way it is — only fresh tomatoes, mayonnaise, and bread. But you’d be surprised what North Carolina ingredients, from sprouts to spreads, will pair well with your next tomato sandwich.
Blue Ribbon Beverage
NOFO’s award-winning Bloody Mary is a triumph for its customers, too.
Tomato Clubs
The early roots of 4-H and home demonstration can be traced to tomatoes.
The Italian Connection
Despite the 5,000 miles between us, our state shares a few things in common with Italy: beautiful beaches; warm, sunny summers; and a profound love of tomatoes.
Picking Season
At the Holden Brothers Farm Market in Shallotte, visitors pick two of our favorite red fruits: Strawberries in the spring and tomatoes in the fall.