Tomatoes – the taste of summer. It seems as though it were only yesterday when my mother would send me to the garden to gather a tomato for a BLT sandwich at lunch time. This of course would be after an early morning of weeding, hoeing, watering, and fertilizing the garden. I never enjoyed gardening as a child, however, I did enjoy a fresh tomato from the garden. Now that I’m all grown up, I have taken an appreciation for gardening. I admire the local farmers who bring their crop to the farmers market every week and those who tend the community gardens.

Early this summer, I had an inspiration to plant my own little garden. Because I live in the city, I didn’t have a place of my own to dig up and plant. So, I collected four large pots to plant three varieties of organic peppers (red bell peppers, jalapeños, and cayenne) and of course, a tomato plant. The four pots were gently placed in a row on the balcony of my second story apartment. It has been an adventure waking up every morning, pulling the shades to see how the plants have grown and changed. At noon, I would lovingly water each plant daily. There can be nothing better in life then to see the fruits of your labor grow – and to taste them too!

Oh the joy of the first, little round red tomato. BLT’s were to be made with the first fruit. A summer progressed; more fruit brought more experiments with the tomatoes. One recipe that has proven to be a winner among family and friends is the Tomato Bruschetta. It is simple to make and fantastic to eat. Dried basil can substituted but fresh is the best. It provides a light snack or appetizer for numerous gatherings of family and friends. Enjoy!

Tomato Bruschetta
Ingredients:
6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
2. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
4. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
5. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Yield: 12 servings