This Month's Recipe

Slice tomato in ¼” slices. Spread mayonnaise on two slices of regular loaf bread and place slices of tomato on one slice. Season with salt and ground pepper. Top with the other slice of bread and cut sandwich in two.

Makes one serving.

This is a wonderful way to use those just-reached-their peak-of-ripeness-tomatoes from your garden or the farmers’ market. When the tomatoes start to get ripe, this sandwich to Paul is like catnip to our black tom, Holly.

For those of you who may not be mayonnaise fans, you can substitute butter and achieve an equally good effect. Also, note that coarse ground black pepper rather than finely ground black pepper provides a stronger flavor that substantially adds to the sandwich.

Many bad things have been said about American regular loaf white bread. In many cases it is true that crispy French or Italian bread is better tasting than regular loaf bread. However, this is Paul’s sandwich and he insists that the tenderness inherent in regular loaf white bread is essential to this sandwich, that the bread allows the rich flavor of the ripe tomato to come into its own resulting in a rich superior tasting sandwich.

I’ve tried his sandwich and I’ve found that, strange as it seems, what he says is true.

Bon Appetit!