Things to Like About West Virginia: Guest Tomatoes

Things to Like

Things I Like About West Virginia, No. 1 | westvirginiaville.com

Guest Tomatoes on the Porch

Come home from work Monday and these two big-ass tomatoes await me on a yellow stool on my front porch. Plus a red plastic cup of sweet cherry tomatoes. They’re from next-door-neighbor Brenda’s garden. That’s her purple zinnia, too, an extra from her prolific backyard bonanza to help me spruce up my sorry State of the Garden in our front yard.

These tomatoes forgive the sins of the last 100 bought at Kroger this winter. Tomato-flavored softballs. You’ve tasted them.  A good tomato is nature’s way of saying: This is what the earth is supposed to taste like. Just so you don’t forget because, you know, you might. You may have already.

I could go on about what I dislike about West Virginia. Its paid-for politicians. Plastic jugs in rivers. Etc. This is one of the many things I like about West Virginia: shared tomatoes on the porch. When you stop tasting the taste of a real tomato, wait for the curtain. Bring on the next species — this one’s done. Not here in West Virginia. Not done here.  ~ douglas imbrogno

Sliced Guest Tomatoes Recipe

1. Pick up guest tomatoes from porch

2. Slice one of the big boys.

3. Pour one tablespoon extra virgin oil in bowl.

4. Introduce tomatoes to oil, let them get to know one another.

5. Slice fresh baguette. Introduce guest tomatoes to bread.

OPTIONAL 1: Rain slivers of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on tomatoes.

OPTIONAL 2:  Lightly sprinkle sea salt (my wife would object: ‘A good tomato is good enough.’)