JoAnne's Archive

Mark Twain Got It Right

By JoAnne Leone

Grilled Green Tomatoes and Eggplant with Fresh Herbs

“When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat” ...Mark Twain

And so can be said for the ripe tomato. This Saturday, Aug 6, starting at 10am, you’ll have an opportunity to indulge in both at the Farmers Market. It’s Community Day at the Market, where everyone gathers for a Southern Classic – White bread, mayo and a thick slice of salted tomato. Yes, there will be pepper there, too, for those who like to spice it up. Cecilia Holland and her bakers from Logan Turnpike Mill are donating the fresh baked bread, once again. Tomatoes will be grown fresh right here in Union County.

A special shout out to volunteers Marcia Little, Bev Paoletto and Angela and Ralph Sgambati for offering their sandwich making skills once again, this year. And our Master Gardeners, who are so devoted to the Q&A table every week, will be trading in their answers for their machetes as they carve up the watermelons.

Yes, it’s time for our local watermelons. When our local melons ripen, Market rules indicate that sales must cease of melons grown outside the area. So, any watermelons you see at this time of year at the market are grown in this or contiguous counties.

The variety of tomatoes at the Market this season has been heavenly for those of us who like to try different degrees of sweetness and acidity. I for one am crazy about all the heirloom varieties. Yes, they can be ugly – but as imperfect as they seem on the outside is as delectable as they are on the inside.

Speaking of tomatoes – I showed my Northern roots recently when gifted with two green tomatoes from a local gardening friend. I asked if the green tomatoes used for frying were a special variety that just stayed green. They were polite and didn’t laugh at my naiveté and told me that green tomatoes were just unripe tomatoes. They also suggested that I try grilling the slices with a little olive oil instead of coating and frying. Wow! That was delicious. I made a platter of grilled green tomatoes, grilled baby eggplant, grilled Sugar 100 tomatoes and fresh herbs. I could hear the angels singing!

Please join the Community this Saturday at the market. Get there about 10 and you might catch those angels singing as the sandwiches start being served. We love seeing everyone!