I have been obsessed with tomatoes for my entire eating life. Living in Virginia, I grew up traipsing through summer gardens and picking off the ripest, warmest tomatoes for a snack. In high school, I would cut class to walk over to the Roanoke Co-Op and buy heirloom tomatoes to eat on a park bench out front.
These days, I’ve got my own garden full of Sungolds, Juliets, and Mortgage Lifters to share with my family and neighbors. The devotion is deep, and I think it qualifies me to speak to how to make the perfect tomato sandwich.
There are plenty of ways to combine tomatoes and bread. There’s panzanella and pan con tomate. There are caprese sandwiches, loaded with fresh mozzarella and fragrant basil, drizzled with olive oil.
Ingredients
4 slices white sandwich bread
4 teaspoons mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s)
1 perfectly ripe summer tomato (such as Beefsteak or Brandywine), sliced into 1-inch-thick slices
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, optional
