Garden Goodness: What Should Be Done With Our Very First Ripe Tomato of the Season?

Remember when we showed you the crazy explosion of activity on our container tomato plant? Well, one tomato at least has reached its perfect peak.

...oh wait! Here's another:

And hiding away in the very middle, coyly tucked between branches and still-green baby tomatoes, one more perfectly red specimen.

What should we do with our very first little tomatoes? Should we eat them straight up? Pair them with fresh basil and cheese? What would you do with your first tomatoes? Is there any special ceremony appropriate to the occasion?

(Images: Faith Hopler)

Categories: Gardening, Summer

Posted by Faith Durand

Faith Durand is the executive editor of The Kitchn and the author of Bakeless Sweets: Pudding, Panna Cotta, Fluff, Icebox Cake, and More No-Bake Desserts. She lives in Columbus, Ohio.
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Comments (9)

I would pop it in my mouth while no one is looking. Fresh, alive, sweet.

I'd slice it first, but otherwise I agree with buda.

I pop cherry tomatoes like they are candy but for the larger sized ones, we had our first heirloom of the season in a bacon and basil sandwich.

Slice it, sprinkle with sea salt and eat.

Two slices soft bread, mayo (Duke's, for authentic flavor) on one slice, add tomato, sprinkle with salt and fresh pepper, top with the other slice, and eat.

Although eating it like an apple isn't a bad idea, either.

slice and sprinkle a bit of salt and sugar.

If it's big enough, get some buffalo mozzarella and make caprese.

I used our first yellow cherry tomatoes, along with our basil, this weekend to make these watermelon-basil-tomato skewers. You make a balsamic/sugar reduction that was so tasty, (I didn't use the olive oil). The perfect summer appetizer, went so well with our ribeyes and baby red twice baked potatoes.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/tomato-watermelon-and-basil-skewers-recipe/index.html

Slice of rustic bread, toasted and slightly buttered, sliced tomato on top, and on top of that some fresh chives.