Tomato Sandwich Physics

[Beebs]

Yummmm! I saw this thread at work an hour before closing, and all I could fixate on was getting home asap for a tomato sandwich. I'm eating one right this minute while typing this reply. It's the most delicious thing I've put in my mouth all week.

Now I have to wipe the tomato juice dribbles off my keyboard....

[LindaK]

mmm. I may turn into a tomato soon, I'm eating so many of them while the season lasts.

If we're talking minimal ingredients, I agree that technique matters. I like to start with a flavorful sourdough baguette, halved then cut into slices approximately the width of your average tomato slice. On a large plate, slice tomatoes thickly, sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and evoo, sometimes a squeeze of lemon juice. Let all sit a minute to let the luscious tomato juices flow, then place the slices of bread cut side down to absorb said juices and let the bread soften for easy eating. Flip them over, top with tomato slices, perhaps some shredded basil, for an open faced sandwich. Enjoy.

If we're embellishing with cheese, I'm partial to some crumbled French feta. A delicious alternative to mozzarella and no interference with easy eating.

[Terrasanct]

Good photos upthread with the bacon, but the bread there isn't perfect--it needs to be homemade or at least GOOD bread.

I love a good BLT, and sometimes I'll have a slice of Walla Walla onion with my tomato, but the best sandwich is the simplest. You just have to have excellent bread.

Years ago I sold homemade breads at a farmers market in Silverdale, WA. I made several varieties. When lunchtime rolled around I'd get a big heirloom tomato from one of the other vendors and make a tomato sandwich with my own herb-garlic sourdough bread. Made with fresh herbs from my garden. The sandwich would be made without mayo, but eaten outdoors on the waterfront. Nothing better in the world, ever.

[=Mark]

Dinner Last Night

Two of these:

Sliced toasted hard roll

Schmeared with mayo and coarsly ground pepper

Some rings of sliced red onion

1/4 lb. of roast beef

A few slices of Swiss cheese

One humongous, I mean half inch thick, slice of ripe tomato (I used an heirloom yellow one)

Put on the top half of the roll and smoosh it down.

Snarf it.

Eat whats left of the tomater for dessert...

[Goatjunky]

Best Foods (Hellmanns in the south) mayo, *must be the first spoon from a new jar

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This made me crack up. And I totally understand. My husband doesnt get it, but there really is something about the first spoonful. Much thicker and creamier. I think I ate a tomato sandwich every single day of the last 4 months of my last pregnancy (only on toasted white bread). This thread has haunted me since yesterday, and I had to go out and get a fresh loaf of rosemary sourdough, new jar of Best Foods, and several ginormous tomatoes. So delicious that I had it again for breakfast and am sorely tempted yet again. I have so many new techniques to try out.

[SiseFromm]

A slippery tomato filling in a classic sandwich is something I'm aware of while eating but not something I'm looking to find a "fix" for. In fact, salted tomatoes juice into the Best Foods to create a delicious "house dressing" of sorts and that's something I'm not willing to give up in exchange for a more stable sandwich.

As much as I hate to admit it because of my love/hate relationship with Bristol Farms, I will say they've got delicious unsliced white bread. The kind of bread that reminds me of my youth. It's soft and toasty brown on the outside with a light-textured interior and a rich buttery taste. For sandwich standards like BLT and Peanut Butter & Jelly, it's extremely difficult to beat. Cal Poly University's agricultural department maintains a stand at our farmer's market and they have, without question, the finest tomatoes this season. The yellow tomatoes in particular are blissful. With some fine bacon from Grateful Palate's "Bacon of the Month" club, Best Foods, crispy butter lettuce, and some Maldon salt on that Bristol Farms white bread, what's better?

[crouching tyler]

Good photos upthread with the bacon, but the bread there isn't perfect--it needs to be homemade or at least GOOD bread.

I love a good BLT, and sometimes I'll have a slice of Walla Walla onion with my tomato, but the best sandwich is the simplest.  You just have to have excellent bread.

...

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I am not sure the bread needs to be homemade. Some of the best sandwiches are those made by others (as in "Here you go, my dear, I just made you a sandwich"), and sometimes others make sandwiches on basic store-bought bread.

Drat - I just got mayonnaise on my keyboard.

Anyway, good bread definitely takes a tomato sandwiches a little closer to transcendental, but I think of it more as a bonus than a necessity.

Edited August 15, 2007 by crouching tyler (log)

[Swicks]

I post to report my success with a BLT last night, it was truly delicious.

I used some thick cut applewood smoked bacon, an incredibly juicy and flavorful heirloom tomato, red leaf lettuce, tarragon/parsley mayo all stacked club sandwich style (3 slices of bread) on lightly toasted bristol farms white bread. Absolutely delicious...

[Kouign Aman]

With some fine bacon from Grateful Palate's "Bacon of the Month" club, Best Foods, crispy butter lettuce, and some Maldon salt on that Bristol Farms white bread, what's better?

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Which bacon in particular?

[eskay]

My mind is simultaneously boggled and intrigued by the concept of a bacon of the month club.

[markemorse]

Thought I'd submit our very non-negotiable specs (from my recent eG foodblog). I think we're in complete agreement with potsticker (and do note the top and bottom mayo application. We eat them leaning forward)

Edited August 17, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[aeschylus]

though i end up using storebought bread lately, the best tomato sandwich i've had all summer was on a whole wheat desem bread that my aunt and uncle brought up with them from augusta.

i grew up on, and still swear by an openfaced sandwich with:

toasted rye bread or rye crackers

peanut butter (not too much, just a thin layer)

tomato slices from the garden/csa

black pepper and sea salt

mayo is a sometimes addition, but then you need an extra slice of bread and all of a sudden it starts becoming more like an actual sandwich and less like a snack...

[SeaGal]

Another version which was lunch today:

First, made a small caprese salad w/ 1/2 a very ripe heirloom tomato, a few slices of real buffalo mozzarela, some flaked salt and fresh ground pepper, chiffonade of basil and a drizzle of EVOO and balsamic. Let sit for a couple of minutes.

Next, cut off section of generously sized, not too crunchy, baguette and warmed it in toaster oven.

Assembly:

Spread one side of baguette w/ Best Foods mayo.

Put tomotoes on mayo side, followed by mozzarella and basil.

Drizzled juices over other side of baguette and closed it up.

Ate, leaning far over plate, with several paper towels as the whole thing squooshed to pieces and had to be reassembled--but darn it was good!

[viva]

Physics be damned… today’s tomato sandwich with the Japanese Black Trifele tomatoes, thick cut local bacon, and basil mayo on a salt baguette. Totally physically impossible to eat neatly.

I wound up with squirts of tomato all over my white t-shirt. Ah, the sacrifices I make...

[eskay]

I hope the sacrifice wasn't too hard to make

[viva]

If I need to sacrifice a dozen white t-shirts in the name of a tomato sandwich, so be it!

[Lindacakes]

Upthread there was some concern about double mayo swipes and slippage.

I use my own patented Tomato Blotter.

Double thick paper towels on bottom. Place tomato slices on the absorbant surface. Cover with double thick paper towels on top. Press lightly on tomato slices.

Peel back cover, peel tomato slices from bottom. Expertly blotted.

It is now safe to use extra mayo.

[Restorer]

Dinner tonight was sliced cherry tomatoes laid out on english muffins, topped with cheese and broiled. Does that count?