HERITAGE HAUNTS: Tomatoes by Alice Lowe
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Presented by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! July 2026.
This article first appeared in June 2008, edition No. 165 of Let's Talk Plants!
Tomatoes
Here they come - large and small, round and oval, red and yellow and orange and green - ripe, freshly-picked tomatoes, grown with lots of sun and heat (my favorites come from a generous friend in Lakeside), and, whenever possible, eaten within minutes of picking. Those of us who can’t grow our own become extra chummy with our grower friends and neighbors or stalk the farmers’ markets to find the best organic heirlooms, the sweetest cherries, the to-die-for yellow pears. Besides just standing over the sink with a ripe tomato in one hand and the salt shaker in the other, here are some of the things I like to do with fresh tomatoes.
Caprese Salad
Everyone knows the simple elegance of a caprese - fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella drizzled with olive oil - but if you haven’t tried it with burrata cheese, you haven’t lived. Burrata is mozzarella with a lava-like cream center, most likely to be found at specialty stores, like Venissimo in Mission Hills or Del Mar.
Pan-Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
Get a pan really hot with a thin coating of oil (peanut oil takes the high heat well), then toss in the tomatoes, rolling them around occasionally, until they’re a little charred and look ready to burst. That’s it for a wonderful side dish.
Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil
This dish is often made by sautéing garlic in a lot of olive oil, then adding the fresh cut-up tomatoes and basil, but I use just a little oil to fry the garlic, then add the tomatoes and basil with about ½ cup of white wine, stir for just a minute or so til it’s all blended without overcooking the tomatoes, then take it off the stove and add the zest and juice of half a lemon. Toss it with a thin noodle that will absorb the liquid, like angel hair or vermicelli, and top with fresh grated parmesan.
Deconstructed Putanesca
Another classic pasta dish, typically made by simmering canned tomatoes in olive oil and garlic, adding kalamata olives, capers, anchovies, hot pepper flakes, and topping with parmesan. But during the summer I like it uncooked, blending fresh cut-up tomatoes with the other ingredients plus some fresh chopped herbs, and letting them sit for an hour or so before cooking the pasta. Try topping it with fresh crumbled feta.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Before those Beefsteaks and Big Boys ripen, grab a few nice hard green ones, slice them about ½” thick, coat them with salt & pepper and cornmeal, and fry them in a little oil until they’re browned and softened. You can serve them with ranch or blue cheese dressing or a garlicky aioli.
Member Alice Lowe’s last meal would, without a doubt, include tomatoes and cheese. And garlic.
