|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
“My decision-making skills are as good as a squirrel crossing the street.”
– Unknown
September always reminds me of tomatoes. Jersey tomatoes grow in abundance at that time of year and I never grew weary of the taste. Those tomatoes are truly in a class of their own.
I remember a day in 1965 when I was 13 and we were experiencing a very hot and humid spell. My mom announced that we were going to pick tomatoes from the garden. Three bushels later, we proceeded to start the canning process. Those tomatoes made the best pasta sauce, salsa, chili and tomato soup.
Canned tomatoes are convenient, but tomatoes fresh off the vine own my heart — put garden tomatoes in a salad, on a burger, or on cheap (soft) white bread with mayonnaise and salt and pepper to make the best sandwich ever.
Processing and canning on that 94-degree day was exhausting. My mother prepared a large jar of ice water and told me to take it to the Edison fields, where my dad was working. Those fields were named after Thomas Edison, who once owned and operated The Edison Portland Cement Co. My father purchased the land long after that company had dissolved. (An interesting fact: Edison’s company supplied the cement used to build the original Yankee Stadium in 1922.)
Several companies have come and gone from that area since Edison’s ownership, but what remained from all their mining was a huge quarry near the family farm. There was also a smaller quarry in the woods behind our large barn. As kids, we were strictly forbidden to go near any of those quarries. The walls were very steep and the water was freezing below the surface. Although the water appeared calm, there were dangerous currents from underground springs.
Ever do something on impulse? Something so reckless that the memory lies buried deep inside an area of the brain labeled “idiot”? It was so hot that day that I decided to take a dip in the smaller quarry before I returned to help my mom. If I was careful, no one would see me, right?
I went for that swim alright, but I had a dreadful time trying to get out and climb up the steep wall to safety. I instantly regretted my decision. It took great effort, but I finally made it to the top.
I hurried back toward the house. Upon exiting the woods, there was my father. The memory of being cooled by the water faded quickly as our eyes met and my adrenaline flowed. I don’t think I ever made him as angry at me as he was at that moment. I got the lecture of my life, then I was sent back to the house to can and process those baskets of tomatoes with my mother.
That memory is forever etched in my mind, and the process of preserving all those tomatoes on that very hot day stayed with me. I developed a love for them (and a disdain for deep water).
This is the best season to enjoy garden tomatoes, and I use them in many recipes. If you love fresh tomatoes, here is a treasured dish that takes the word delectable to a whole new level. It’s easy and it’s my absolute favorite. Enjoy!
Roasted tomato pasta
Serves 4-6.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound fresh cherry tomatoes
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound angel hair pasta
- Shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, chopped
Directions:
Rinse tomatoes, cut in half and place in a bowl. Add garlic and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then mix. Let sit for about an hour to allow flavors to meld.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and put a large pot of water (lightly salted) on the stove to boil.
Dump tomatoes on a baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Roast for about 25 minutes.
During the last 8 minutes the tomatoes are in the oven, cook the angel hair according to package directions. Drain the pasta well and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss.
Plate the pasta and top with the roasted tomatoes, juice and all.
Generously top with shredded Parmesan cheese, garnish with fresh basil and serve.
