I'm Talking About Tomato Toast

In Anticipation of Summer Fruits

I saw the below (very apropos, very timely) meme making the rounds on Instagram the other day, and I knew what my first foray into the Substackiverse should address.

What level of millennial is it when you earnestly reshare a beigecardigan post?

The humble tomato toast has dominated my summertime diet for many years now – I feel qualified to wax poetic on its finer points, and perhaps offer something of value to the uninitiated. It’s a sub-10-minute, no-cook endeavor with just a few ingredients, so it’s important they be really, really good ones.

We’ve only got a few weeks to go before tomato season is well and truly here, so let’s break it down:

The bread.

Something with a bit of structure does well for tomato toast. You’ll want a bread that can stand up to drizzles of oil and the high water content of fresh mozz and heirloom tomatoes (more on those in a sec).

I like a rustic sourdough from a local bakery. If you’re in SB, highly recommend a boule from the brilliant Vanessa of Riviera Bread or my friends at Oat Bakery. If not, find something fresh, chewy, and crusty!

Once it’s toasted, rub it down with a sliced-open clove of raw garlic – trust me. This step should not be skipped! (And the best local heirloom garlic comes from Milliken Family Farms.) I also like to add a teeny kiss of mayo here. This, unlike the garlic, is wholly optional.

A generous layer of mozzarella goes on next. This is the ingredient I’m least fussy about – just make sure it’s fresh (i.e. packed in water).

On choosing a tomato:

A high-acid variety is best IMO – I usually go for the deepest brick-hued or green and red zebra-striped heirlooms. And while it is hard to resist the gorgeous lace-like cross section of a larger tomato, the smaller, palm-sized ones are most optimal for our purposes here – they’re both easier to fit onto a slice of sourdough and pack a more flavorful punch.

If you’re shopping socal markets, I think the best summer tomatoes consistently come from Tutti Frutti and Frecker Farms.

Once you’ve laid your tomato slices, garnish with some torn basil (I’ve finally planted an actual herb garden this spring – perhaps more on that in a future post?), a pinch of flaky salt, and cracked pepper.

Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze (Nonna Pia’s is my favorite) and your very best olive oil. Ojai Olive Oil makes a perfect EVOO only 35 miles away – I especially like their Tuscan blend, which offers a well-rounded flavor balanced nicely between mellow and zippy. I’ll admit to you, dear reader, that I do use my TJ’s cooking EVOO to finish if I’m out of the good stuff.

Best enjoyed in the high summer sun. Can’t wait for this.