Savoring summer's remnants...

I did not like tomatoes growing up. But everyone else in my family did, so I would try about once a year to like them. But to no avail. I was always the one who had to request 'no tomato please' at Burger King and pick them off my salads at restaurants. But things have since changed a little...
Four years ago, I was at the home of a friend for lunch. She served me a delicious looking BLT, with of course, the 'T' actually in it. You see growing up, I LOVED BLT's but would always substitute the T for a C (cheese =: ).
So there I was, not wanting to be rude, and thinking to myself "goodness Charis get over raw tomatoes and LEARN to like them." So I bit into it, and alas, relished every bite of that amazing sandwich! With the tomato in it!
Let me now clarify something about tomatoes I never quite understood until that day. A fresh, blood-red, juicy, sweet tomato picked an hour ago off the sunshine drenched vine is NOT the same thing as a grocery store tomato. Are they even in the same 'family'? At any rate, that was the best BLT I had ever had, juicy and salty and fresh. So thank Jeane' for opening my eyes and tastebuds to the joy of fresh tomatoes...

Amazingly enough we're still picking the last remnants of our bountiful 7 plants. It's Ed's pleasure especially to go out and pick all the blushed pink ones that need to finish ripening indoors (otherwise they fall off before they fully ripen and the bugs get into them in less than .02 seconds). But they are still good, especially married to garlic toast and the last bits of fresh basil.

So here's a simple pleasure for your mouth. Enjoy!

This is how I make my bruschetta~

4 -6 slices of a good crusty bread or baguette

2 TB. olive oil 

1 clove garlic, minced

3  tomatoes (or 6-7 plum tomatoes). diced

1 TB. olive oil

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

a pinch of sugar (the late tomatoes aren't as sweet)

a pinch of salt and pepper

Freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Freshly grated parmesan (if you have it)

Fresh basil leaves

Mix olive oil and garlic together and brush onto your bread. Grill or toast in a 400 degree oven until crisp and golden, about 5-8 minutes. Meanwhile, combine your fresh tomatoes, oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar if needed, and salt and pepper. Let marinate while bread is toasting. 

When bread is desired golden brown, spoon tomato mixture on and sprinkle with cheeses and fresh basil. The bruschetta can be served right away or you can return it to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese, or you can let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature. However you want to eat it, it's scrumptious!

P.S. sorry about the header not being centered...Does anyone know how to fix that? I just want my blog to look pretty and I am SUCH a computer dunce when it comes to this kind of stuff!