It’s the perfect summer sandwich, with the simplest of ingredients.
Garden-fresh tomatoes, mayo, store-bought white bread.
Photo courtesy. Food.com
I had the first of many this week.
You might be tempted to modify it, toast the bread, add ingredients like cheese, bacon, avocado, onion, etc.
But please do not. It is a culinary sacrilege.
Salt and pepper are acceptable, lettuce is not. It just gets in the way of those juices that absorb into the first layer of soft white bread.
Those healthier, whole grain breads just do not work here. Home-made or sourdough ? No thank you.
It was the lunch preferred by Louise Fitzhugh’s beloved childhood character Harriet the Spy. She would accept no substitute.
She understood the beauty of tomato as a main ingredient.
So do I.
vanbytheriver 
Looks yummy, Van!
It does, Rob. For sure. Thanks.
Mmmmmm. 🙂
Right ???
I’m not surprised it’s a favorite! The tomatoes here are SO delicious. 💛
I wait all year for the good stuff, Val. It’s the season !
My husband is crazy about tomato sandwiches! 🍅😜
Tasty ! Smart guy.
That’s why I married him! lol 💟
Tomato sandwiches from the garden – a highlight of summer, for sure. But. I’m a heathen. I use whole wheat bread. I hope we can remain friends? 😉
Ha ha….I’m going to have to get back to you on that one, Maggie.
😀
These tomato sandwiches sound fantastic, Van. When it warms up, I’ll have to chase some up. We have a tomato plant but it hasn’t produced any fruit. Or, perhaps the birds are beating us to them. Obviously, home-grown tomatoes are the key. We also like using S & W egg amayonaise for special things like this.
xx Rowena
Hellman’s mayo seems to be the most popular here, Ro. We had chipmunks eating our fruit last year, started feeding them peanuts and they left them alone.
My oldest sister loved this sandwich. She was a horrible eater (and extremely skinny), but tomato sandwiches (on white bread) was always a winner!
I get it, Doc. I was the pickiest eater as a child, very underweight. But, this one…I’ve loved for a lifetime.
I agree on all but the white bread, Van. How about light wheat? Ha ha. We can’t grow tomatoes here and store-bought just can’t compete. Not even in the same universe. I need to find a farm stand…
It’s the only time of the year when I go for the white bread, D. Well…maybe for a grilled cheese ?? Hope you locate that roadside stand.
I have to tell you I love a good tomato but have eaten it with other ingredients in the sandwich. ouch. I may have to try one with those 3 simple ingredients. :
It takes a really good tomato, but so worth the search. Hope it works for you, B.
Yes, oh yes! I know the way! 😀 Won’t be long now, I’ll have so many! Course, I will make BLTs and caprese salad as well, but oh yes, there will be tomato sammiches!
I’ve already harvested a few ! Love those ‘maters.
I am sorry to pop in and be controversial right away… but that sandwich is CRYING out for some mozzarella… 😂
A Caprese fan….I understand. Thanks, Carly. Not controversial at all.
Though now I’ve thought about it, I’m quite intrigued to try out your version too!
There you go.
I agree with you Van except I like them with salad cream rather than mayo. 😊
Is that like our Miracle Whip? If so…I forgive you, Brigid. lol
I am not sure Van. It has vinegar and mustard in it -more tangy than mayo…
No…that’s not Miracle whip, which is more of a sweet salad dressing.
Ah! Just what Mum used to send us off to watch cricket at The Oval with 🙂
Some memories from across the ocean…sweet one ! Thanks, Derrick.
It’s lovely how blogging does this
Hi Van
The sandwich looks great. I love a plateful of fresh from my garden big juice sliced with salt. Thet and caplellinne on the side was on tap for dinner last night. Yum. Keep the tomato surprises coming. Maybe I’ll break down my homemade red sauce with anchovies!
M
Red sauce/anchovies….please do, M.
I love fresh sauce, it’s been a long time but some things you don’t forget. I don’t even have a recipe for, cook and taste. Don’t scorch garlic! M
Sadly my tomato plants are leafy but lacking tomatoes, just as my haiku today signifies. https://onetahayes.com/2017/07/21/garden-necessity/ Aw, such a sad time to be reminded of tomato sandwiches with my garden so sterile.
With abundant sun/heat this summer, mine are thriving, but the leaves…not so much, just enough survived to shade the fruit a bit. Sorry about yours, Oneta.
This reminds me of my mother who loves these, too. It never became a fave of mine, because the juice from the tomato made the bread soggy. I can’t deal with soggy bread.
The soggy bread is part of its charm…but only if you eat it pretty fast. No problem for me, Julie.
Van, that is one of my favorite things! When I became allergic to eggs (no mayo!) I was at a loss… And the substitutes tasted horrible to me. Finally one day I thought of using cream cheese (spread thin, just like mayo), and I re-found my food love. Mega hugs.
Ooooh…that cream cheese might just work. Maybe ?? Thanks, T.
It works for me. I just wish I had thought of it years ago.
I have to have my Tomato sandwich in the Summer time. They are like a staple to me. My three basic food groups all together. Bread/Mayo/and Maters.
Summer staple…exactly, Ron.
A great summer treat!!!!!
Off to buy a tomato!
Enjoy !
🙂
Haven’t had one in a few years but that will change tomorrow😊
Glad to hear it, hope you enjoy it as much as I do, George. NJ tomatoes…excellent !
Oh, I so agree with you here…I’m salivating…
One of those simple pleasures, DK.
I only disagree about the toasting….everything else…perfection! I’ll be sharing this next week on my blog. Thanks.
Thanks, Bobbi.
Made my mouth water, Van! My tomatoes are still small, although I have a lot this year. I just pruned the plants so hopefully that will help them grow. Nothing says summertime like homegrown tomatoes, right?
I love the simplicity of this post and how relatable it is… signature YOU! 😊
It’s so true…those homegrowns put to shame what passes as a tomato for the rest of the year. Always sweet of you with the compliments. Thanks, Kelly.
Always my pleasure, Van. 😊
I’m not a lover of soggy bread, Van, so have to toast the bread whenever a tomato is involved. I do rather like cucumber sandwiches, though. Oh, and not forgetting a crisp sandwich (salt & vinegar flavour) and the good old chip butty. 😀 As a child, I loved tomato sauce sandwiches, but these days I tend to like tomato sauce on toast.
We have a lot of tomato pie here, more like a pizza without cheese, but it is delicious. Tomato sauce on toast ? Who knew ??
Sadly to say tomatoes do not agree with me. Hubby has tomato sandwiches all the time and OH they do look yummy as does yours. More then not (referring to food) disagrees with me. Just allergic to so much. Hope you are having a great weekend! 💝
Sorry to hear of those allergies, Amy. I’m sure you make the best of what you can handle. Thanks.
Hmmm! I’ve always tossed in this and that, but I’m going to just go plain juicy tomatoes and see how it tastes.
Simple works for this one. Hope you enjoy !
By garden fresh you mean from Wal-mart right? lol
ouch.
I’m personally not a fan, but I LOVE the simplicity and purity you insist on! It’s a beautiful thing in this world of grays…
The older I get, AGMA, the more “simple” seems to matter. Thanks.
That’s exactly how my Daddy likes them!
Now that you mention it, my dad would add Bermuda onion to his !! Thanks, G.
🤗It was Vidalia onions for my Dad. Great memories Van.
Well now you’ve made me hungry. I’m off to make a tomato sandwich. 🙂 x
Ha ha…love when that happens !
🙂 🙂
Tasty 😀 I’m growing baby tomatoes they taste like candy….summer smiles Hedy 😎☀️
Nice, Hedy. I have both red and yellow this year…tasty. Enjoy yours !
Great easy recipe! Thanks for sharing it!
My pleasure.
My mom introduced me to these, but I never truly fell in love until hubby made me one with a garden fresh tomato…mmmm…
Oh, and a slice of tomato on a grilled cheese sandwich? Now I’m hungry.
No substitute for those garden fresh, Laura, I wait for them all year ! And..I’m with you on that grilled cheese.
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And so do I! The taste of summer. But I’d skip the mayo and go for brown or sourdough personally… with plenty of salt and pepper. Want one now, and I’ve just gone to bed, sigh! 🤣
Sorry about the timing, Ali. Glad you appreciate a good tomato !