I remember the exact moment that I fell in love with the heirloom tomato called Brandywine. I was out to lunch with some friends who are foodies at this little restaurant that is located in an amazing garden center. So you can imagine they had local and fresh produce on their menu. I ordered an heirloom tomato salad. It was the best tomato I have ever eaten. The foodies told me it was a Brandywine.
On my way home, I stopped at the produce market and bought a couple of these Brandywine tomatoes to bring home for dinner. I was hooked. My husband balked at what I spent, but enjoyed them nonetheless. That was 3 years ago. Today they are the staple of our summer diet. My favorite lunch is toasted English Muffin, with a schmear of chickpea dip, a big thick juicy slice of tomato and a dusting of fresh grated cheese.. Yum. Fast, easy and delicious. Tastes like Summer.
The dip is an adaptation of a white bean dip recipe from a friend. My personal chef, aka my husband, provides me with an endless supply.
Chickpea Dip/Spread
1 Can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) - drained and rinsed
1/4 C Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt*
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper*
1/4 C (loosely packed) fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Garlic clove
* Amended - These are the correct amounts
Place everything in the food processor, except for the oil. Pulse on and off until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Add the oil in a continuous stream with the processor running, until the mixture is smooth. Add extra salt and pepper to taste if needed. Refrigerate. We have also found that it can be frozen. It is also delicious as a dip for carrots.
And I had to treat myself to flowers from the growers market. Carnations? I'm not sure. The stems, leaves and buds look like them, but those flowers? Anybody know?
I believe they are Lisianthis, but they do kind of liik like a carnation??? very pretty. I want one of those tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe! Brandywines are great. Another nice beefy heirloom tomato is the Cherokee Purple. Didn't grow them this year but have them back on the garden plan for next summer....
ReplyDeletePinkadots is corect. they look like lisianthus to me too.
ReplyDeleteI grew an heirloom this year called Black Crimson. They are really good but very ugly. They have green shoulders and dark red bottoms and are both red and green inside but oh so tasty! I'll save you some seeds if you want to try and grow them next year. Now if I can just keep the squirrels from munching on them!
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