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Melissa Clark wrote about substituting slices of ripe plum for the missing tomatoes in a New York Times article last week. We think this combination has real potential! Ripe plums have a similar texture to tomatoes, and when sprinkled with a bit of lemon juice as Clark suggests, they would even have a similar flavor.

We could also see using watermelon, like in this morning's nationwide newspaper roundup, or other stone fruits, like the peaches in the photo above. Stone fruits tend to have a nice balance of sweetness and acidity, which makes them easy to pair with both savory and sweet dishes.

We could also skip the tomato entirely and sub in another vegetable. Avocados are always a welcome addition to our sandwiches. Thin strips of sweet red pepper would also add crunch and another layer of flavor. Or what about thin slices of roasted beet for something truly different?

Have you come up with an interesting substitute for missing tomatoes? Please share!

• Try a BLP! Plums Rescue a Seasonal Favorite by Melissa Clark

Related: Tip: Save Your Bacon Fat

(Image: Flickr member The Nickster licensed under Creative Commons)