The only thing better than the late summer BLT,

[TNNurse]

with the perfect tomato, is knowing you grew that tomato yourself.

[LisaM]

1. We can't grow them in our apartment, but....

We got some from the farmer's market last week, and, with some bread from a local bakery in Bow, Washington, had the best BLTs ever.

[TNNurse]

2. It is such a treat.

We buy some as well. We are not great gardeners, but have managed some good tomatoes this summer.

[Diamond_Dog]

3. A late summer BLT

With a home grown tomato is my all time favorite sandwich

[Ohio Joe]

4. To make it perfect...

It really has to be a tomato you grew in Jersey. All intelligent people know tomatos grown in Jersey are the best

[TNNurse]

5. Well, that is certainly biased.

[Ohio Joe]

11. Back in the early 80's...

A buddy of mine moved up to MA. The first year he was there, the tomatos he grew were very... Meh. I mean, better then supermarket but nothing great. So he became convinced it was the NJ soil and proceeded to get 1-2 trunk loads of NJ soil every year till well into the '00's. His tomato growing never got any better but it allowed us to spend decades now spreading the myth of NJ's great tomato growing ability

[SheilaAnn]

12. I hear it's the iron in Jersey soil that gives its veggies that extra taste. n/t

[Jilly_in_VA]

6. Nope

Grainger County, Tennessee and environs. Never had a better tomato ANYWHERE.

[Treefrog]

8. Nah, NC all the way!

[GulfCoast66]

24. They think that until they have one grown in Louisiana.

Then they see the light. Delta Soil Creole tomatoes are the best I’ve ever had. And I’ve had had fresh Italian tomatoes in Italy. Real freaking good. But not the best I’ve had.

Good tomatoes are just magical. Does not matter where you live.

[Treefrog]

7. So true!

I’ve eaten a bushel this summer and given away as many!

[Mr.Bill]

9. It's a ritual with us.

First tomatoes we pick, it's BLT night.

[a kennedy]

10. OMGAWD, that is our most favorite sandwich.......and so jealous of your OWN tomatoes.....

we received some from our neighbor and can’t wait to make BLT’s too. Yummmmmmmm

[LisaM]

14. A now-closed restaurant in our hood had a B.L.A.S.T.

Now, I love a classic BLT, but this adds avacado and Swiss and they had it on grilled sourdough, and it's a fabulous alternative.

I sometimes make a BLT salad, too.

Again, the classic BLT is pretty perfect, but...

[csziggy]

15. Here a little cafe has what they call a Cabo BLT

BLT with avocado and pesto aioli on some fabulous whole grain bread. OMG, it is delicious!

[LisaM]

19. Yum.

I'm going to try that.

[a kennedy]

28. and to have the bread be toasted marble rye.......it's to absolutely die for.

[abqtommy]

13. Every tomato I've ever met is perfect. If the tomato is hard and green it's used to make

green tomato jam/jelly. Tomatoes are always in good taste!

[Mr.Bill]

23. We have discovered you can make pretty good green Salsa

with green tomatoes. Just use them instead of tomatillos.

[Silent3]

16. Well, almost

[orleans]

17. loved them when i was growing up

(don't eat pigs now) and i don't have a place to grow tomatoes anymore but i have some on the vine ones from the store that kinda hints at those homegrown tomatoes.
maybe i'll go have a snack!

[Shellback Squid]

18. and raising the pig, don't forget that!

I miss Wilbur

[smirkymonkey]

20. I LOVE fresh garden tomatoes. My dad always had a huge garden when we were growing up and

the tomatoes were so good. I am convinced that people who say they don't like tomatoes have never really had a fresh, home-grown one.

BLT are one of my favorites and it's the tomato that makes or breaks it. In fact, I would be perfectly happy with just a "T" sandwich with a little mayo, salt and pepper. Delicious!

[Blue Owl]

21. Found some amazing organic, locally-baked sourdough bread...

Toasted and buttered, combined with lettuce and tomatoes from the garden, and applewood smoked bacon….

[myohmy2]

22. delicious...

...with heat disease, I really shouldn't eat BLT's...

...sometimes you can't refuse...

[tishaLA]

25. I learned about tomato sandwiches a few years ago

(maybe 5) and since then it's my favorite sandwich of all time. My local farmer's market has a guy who only grows heirlooms and thai basil and I go there, especially in July/August/September, to buy pounds and pounds of tomatoes for my homemade sourdough, maybe with some brown butter mayonnaise, a bit of pickled red onion, salt and pepper.....

Perfection. I wish I could grow them myself, but alas apartment life makes that impossible.

[tishaLA]

26. Here's a BLT Manifesto

You might enjoy it, from my favorite food writer/recipe developer.

https://www.seriouseats.com/blt-manifesto-how-to-make-best-bacon-lettuce-tomato-sandwich

[GulfCoast66]

27. Here in Florida we won't put in our tomatoes for a month.

Tomatoes don’t grow here in the summer. Night time lows are too warm for the pollen not to mention the daily rains.

But I’ll be eating homegrown tomatoes November thru May. Along with collards, mustards, broccoli, and cabbage. And whatever the wife decides we need to grow. We’ve grown celery the past few years. Until you’ve had fresh celery, you’ve not had celery.

[ProfessorGAC]

29. There's A Couple Here...

...that live on the outskirts of town.
They have quite a big veggie garden. They both work it, as I've seen each of them out there. (It's on one of my "give the doggie a ride" routes)
They've got this roller stand the guy built.
They do honor system. Bunch of stuff, but I buy tomatoes & jalapeño from them.
The tomatoes are really good.
We got a rotten yield this year. Only got 6 tomatoes this year.