A Taste of Summer!

I always look forward to the annual rite of summer that takes place in early July each year. No, as patriotic as I am and as much as I cherish our American freedoms, I am not referring to the Fourth of July celebration here. But annually around America's Independence Day observance, the gardens of Patrick County begin yielding one of the most tantalizing of all their bounties, delicious, irresistible, vine ripened, homegrown TOMATOES! And nothing makes as simple and satisfying a summertime meal as a good old-fashioned homegrown in Patrick County tomato sandwich.

No other dish seems so adequately to capture the "taste of summer" as the traditional southern tomato sandwich. Some folks practically live off of them during the summer. Nothing quite hits the spot on a hot, steamy summer's day than a refreshingly palate-pleasing homegrown tomato sandwich. Although some variations are popular, the general consensus seems to be that the perfect ingredients of a homegrown tomato sandwich should be two fresh slices of white bread, covered with a generous topping of mayonnaise on both sides and graced with several healthy slices from the heart of a fresh-from-the-garden, juicy, vine-ripened tomato, grown with tender care and "drippin' with love":O)! Sprinkle on (to your personal taste) some salt and pepper (I apply freely from the shakers myself), top with the second slice of mayo-smeared bread, and enjoy a summertime sensation that is fit for a king or a country boy like me. In fact, the most cunning connaisseur could not resist the unmistakable burst of flavor that this southern delicacy draws from our tantalized tastebuds.

For me, the 10-month wait (from September through June) and craving for this summer favorite ended on July 1st when I enjoyed my first homegrown tomato sandwich of the season. The first of many to be consumed this summer, it featured one of the first fruits from the crop of renowned Patrick County tomato grower, James "Spot" Ray, my stepfather, who is widely known for carefully nurtured tomato crop. With advancing age and a declining energy level that goes with it, Spot has cut back somewhat on his crop this year but he still spends considerable time in the garden and the fruit of his vines is no less than sensational in flavor. "The Tomato Man," as Spot has affectionally been nicknamed, still gives his tomatoes the same care and attention that they have always received. His tomato plants are always immaculately cultivated, staked, mulched, watered, and manicured to produce a product that has been the centerpiece of my family's summer diet for as long as I can remember. How could this gourmet ever make it through the "dog days" of summer without my highly-touted, freely-consumed tomato sandwiches. Thanks to my stepdad and the many other tomato growers of Patrick and surrounding counties that keep so generously and skillfully supplying the main ingredient for "a taste of summer" that few can resist!

Until next time, may God bless you with a "great day" and a bountiful tomato crop!

Lovin' it,
Richard