Tomatoes, Local Foods, and Family History
Our June newsletter explores three things near and dear to my heart and soul.
One of the things I love most about my “day job” as a tourism professor is the opportunity to incorporate my passions into my work. Food, of course, is one of those passions. Enjoying and supporting local food businesses is another. To that end, I frequently get to partner with our university news office to write food-related articles. Enjoy the most recent one below - all about the importance of farmers markets.
Another passion is genealogy. I’ve spent the better part of my life tracing my family history. About 10 years ago, I launched Rooted in Foods (this newsletter’s parent site) as a way of connecting all of these loves. In that time, I’ve documented family history, told stories, discussed our culture through food, and shared easy recipes my own family loves.
Why does any of this matter? It’s one way we can pass on our family and local lore to our kiddos… or to the next generation and all who come after. It’s also how I was raised - by great story tellers and great cooks.
Below is one of my favorite food and family tales. I wasn’t around yet, but I can totally see my grandpa stirring up this mess!
If you have stories like this in your family, share them with those close to you. I’d love to hear them, too!
The Raines Family Tomato Story
Give me Big Boys or Beefsteaks! There are thousands of varieties of tomatoes, but I don’t want anything but Big Boys and Beefsteaks. The flavor is fantastic. These two varieties say summertime to me.
My dad raised these two varieties for decades and 60 years ago he caused quite a commotion in his garden. We were so excited when my dad’s childhood best friend moved his family in right next door to us. We knew we were in for good times. My dad, Jim, and his friend, Fred, rivaled in a shared garden space. They planted rows of the same things and couldn’t wait to see who had mature produce first. They especially competed over the first ripe red tomato. Daddy always got home from work before Fred. He'd sit in the back yard and wait to greet Fred when he arrived. During tomato season, they’d both make a mad dash to the garden!
The year that Jim convinced Fred’s daughter to help him play a prank on Fred has gone down in local history. This story has been told and published many times. Jim convinced Fred’s daughter to paint a big green tomato hanging on a healthy plant … red. Oh, how it gleamed in the late afternoon sunshine. When Fred pulled into his driveway next to the garden, he immediately saw the tomato. Jim was sitting in his backyard waiting. Fred ran to the row of tomatoes yelling that he’d won the competition! He had the first red tomato. He leaned down and picked the tomato and was running across his yard to show Jim when he realized that his fingers were sticking to the tomato … to the wet paint. By then, Jim was roaring with laughter! That story was spread all over our little town and people laughed about it for years.
Fresh tomatoes were always a part of my childhood summertime meals. A big white platter with a green rim loaded with thick slices of tomatoes had a special place on the table. Nothing changed in my adulthood, and I have my own special platter. Each season, I can hardly wait for vine ripened tomatoes.
A few years ago, one of our favorite growers raised Big Boy tomatoes and when I saw them, I knew I’d be canning his tomatoes that summer. Before I got around to canning them though, I made plenty of other recipes with them. They are just so good. We love tomatoes cooked on the grill. The smoky flavor adds so much to the already delicious fruit. This became a favorite meal.
Spanish Rice Stuffed Grilled Tomatoes
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients
6 strips of bacon
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups chicken stock
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
In a deep pot, fry the bacon until it is crispy then remove it from the skillet to cool. Add the oil to the bacon drippings and sauté the onion and green pepper until they start to soften. Add the rice and stir it around to slightly toast it. Add the spices at this point, so the heat opens up their flavors. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down so it simmers. Add the chopped tomatoes and put a lid on the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is done.
Crumble the bacon and stir it into the rice. You can also add grilled chicken, pork, or beef to the rice mixture. Simply grill the meat and chop it into small pieces. Stir it into the rice after it is done before you stuff it in the tomatoes.
While the Spanish Rice is cooking, prepare the big tomatoes. Hollow out the centers of the tomatoes and use your finger to pull out the excess amounts of seeds. Turn the tomatoes upside down to drain a little of the extra juice out. Brush the insides of the tomato with butter and add a little salt and pepper to each one.
Sprinkle the inside with Cumin, a spice that will add a little smoky flavor. Fill the cavities of each tomato with a big scoop of Spanish Rice and place them on the BBQ grill over medium high heat. Close the lid on your grill and let them cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, if you are using a gas grill, just turn the heat off directly under the tomatoes. If you are using a charcoal grill, move the tomatoes to a part of the grill so there is no direct heat under them. Close the grill lid and continue to grill the tomatoes for 5 – 10 more minutes. Serve the tomatoes sprinkled with shredded Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese. The cheese will melt and add a creamy topping to the dish.