We wait all year long for summer tomatoes. We long for them all year. There’s no end to what we do with summer tomatoes-
- We put them in canning jars, freeze them and preserve them any way we can think of for winter soups, warm red sauces and hearty stews, so of course we’re trying keep the memories of summer tomatoes alive.
- And yes, we make fresh tomato soup with thin slivers of cool cucumber, snips of green onion, crumbled bacon and a drift of shredded cheese.
- We consume vast quantities of summer tomatoes alongside Fried Chicken, Pork Chops and a personal favorite- Fried Catfish.
- Who would turn down a vegetable plate of butter peas, steamed yellow squash, corn muffins, macaroni and cheese alongside thick slices of summer tomatoes?
- We stuff summer tomatoes with shrimp salad, egg salad, tuna salad or chicken! And it must be summer tomatoes or the taste just isn’t there!
- There may not be a better savory pie than Summer Tomato Pie, my sister’s is the best I’ve ever tasted- a flaky pie crust oozing with fresh summer tomatoes, a sour cream and onion filling topped with thick and melting sharp cheese- well, I’m drooling just thinking about it!
- Let’s not forget mile high Club Sandwiches, grilled Hamburgers and of course the all time favorite Bacon, Lettuce and Tomatoes… as long as there’s a summer tomatoes on there- any of these are near perfection!
- Of course, we love Fried Green Tomatoes- now you may be able to get hot house green tomatoes all year round…yet, if they’re made with summer green tomatoes they’ll have that extra special flavor!
We consume all of these wonderful things and more… almost any mixed green salad is elevated by summer tomatoes, even the humble potato salad with cherry tomatoes is a cool refreshing lunch! 
Bereavement buffets almost cry out for scalloped tomatoes and tomato aspic which are amazing made with summer tomatoes!
Now, if you’re from the South… and I mean truly from the South- there’s one particular delicacy which is the real reason we wait all year for Summer Tomatoes… Tomato Sandwiches! If you add anything more than loaf bread, mayonnaise, summer tomatoes with salt and a bit of black pepper- then you don’t really have a Southern Tomato Sandwich! I’ll let you all fuss and discuss which mayonnaise is best- to me as long as the ingredients include lemon juice on the label you’ll have good mayonnaise and no, we don’t call it mayo – say that and it might put you under suspicion!
Now, if you’re a true believer in a pure Tomato Sandwich- then you’ll know there’s a secret wish we all have had from time to time… to have one beautiful slice of tomato which will cover the whole slice of bread… Big Boy Tomatoes move over.. the new one to try is – ‘Mater Sandwich’ ! Of course it is! I’m here to tell you this one is a winner… never mealy or bland tasting… the ‘Mater Sandwich’ variety of home grown tomatoes is one you’ll want to try! We’ve been picking and eating these for weeks! Now, if you’ll excuse me- I’m gonna fix me a Tomato Sandwich!
Love y’all, Camellia
All photographs are obviously mine! *Mater Sandwich tomato plants may be a registered trademark!
‘Summertime… and the livin’ is easy…’ except when you need to show up with something in your hand for a picnic or a gathering. Or maybe it’s too hot to cook! Or you’re having unexpected company… or you just want to add a dessert to a simple meal and really who wants to miss out on the summer fun slaving away in the kitchen? A lot of folks say- no matter how wonderful the meal is- what guests remember most is the dessert!
Assemble Trifle by layering pound cake, fresh cut strawberries, pink strawberry cream; repeating until the Trifle bowl is full. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the Trifle and chill until ready to serve! Beautiful, delicious and easy!
You know all of those goals I had to eat healthier? More whole grains, nuts, fruits and fiber? Granola topping fruit and yogurt is one of my favorites. That was fine for a while, yet somehow the granola started tasting too heavy and sort of like sawdust. I know, I should have been a stalwart. Still. I know myself well enough that if I’m getting tired of something, I won’t stick to my goals. So! Last year, I fiddled around and came up with this light and easy granola! And, the best part is, I still love it! Here’s how you make –
There you go! A healthy snack or breakfast, if you’re caught short of time for a special event desserts or if you’re like me and your sweet tooth is crying out for attention! You ready now with a few easy recipes! Spring is a busy time, and the truth is we all need a few reliable recipes from time to time! There’s absolutely no shame in taking shortcuts or using store bought, then embellishing!
Just when the heat of summer slows me down to a southern drawl… a miracle happens. It sneaks up on me every year. When hydrangeas blossoms look like tight pincurls, and roses sit and sulk- fed up with the humidity; the porch ferns whine for church fans and ice water, even the impatiens lay down their heads and weep… that’s when the Glory Bower Trees quietly begin to bloom.
My Aunt Mary Sue’s Lemon Cheese Cake was not a cheesecake, it was not a very well behaved cake nor was it a particularly beautiful cake. Mary Sue’s Lemon Cheese Cake was… a special occasion cake for our family, it was a cake we dearly loved and a unique cake that frankly I have only found three other recipes for Lemon Cheese Cake! Believe me- I have tried! Lemon Cheese Cake may be specific to my home state, Alabama. All four recipes were recorded by Alabamians! Two famous chefs, who originated in Alabama- Scott Peacock and Virginia Willis, fondly recall this delicious cake and included it in their cookbooks; then- I found a very similar cake named White Moon Cake in an obscure church cookbook that was compiled by church mothers, fairground workers, military cooks and domestic cooks.
Camellia's Cottage 