Guest Blogger: Molly Tripp Schoneveld

Recently I started reading Molly’s blog This Yuppie Life – she has a passion for finding ways to experience the best in travel, food and life without an unlimited budget (details below).  I’m thrilled to share one of her recent posts with you. It speaks to the simplicity and joys of summertime.

View at Picasa 19-Jul-2009 09:59, Panasonic DMC-FZ18, 2.8, 4.6mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 160

It’s the peak of tomato season, which brings back memories of my favorite summertime lunch:  a tomato sandwich. Some of my fondest memories of beach vacations include coming inside with sand on my feet to my mom peeling the brightest, ripest, juiciest tomatoes. She didn’t ask what we wanted for lunch.  She knew. We can all agree that things usually taste better when mom makes it, but moms can’t always be around to make our lunch.  With that ever increasing awareness that I am now an adult, I walked to the local farmers’ market, picked my own tomatoes and introduced my husband to what has now become his favorite summertime treat.

Shockingly, this Southern delicacy hasn’t made its way around the world. Californians will be tempted to add avocado and Mid-Westerners might want to add bacon. This is not a BLT. Or a BLAT.  To all you wanna be chefs out there…yes there are many variations. You can try it with fancy cheeses, oils, aiolis and herbs. Don’t give in to temptation. Simplicity is such an underrated virtue.

As I took a bite into those sweet, succulent tomatoes, and smiled at my husband,  those lazy childhood days came flooding back and I had an ephiphany. It wasn’t really mom’s making it that made it better.  It was simply the fact that mom was there.

Mom’s Heirloom Tomato Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 very ripe heirloom tomato (peeled)

2 slices of white bread (this is important—do not use fancy bread)

good mayo

kosher salt

freshly cracked pepper

Directions:

Smear mayo on each slice of bread. Pile high with tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cut in half. Enjoy!

MOLLY TRIPP SCHONEVELD currently resides in Los Angeles, but frequently “goes to Carolina in her mind,” remaining a southern girl at heart (or at least in manners). She has worked in the entertainment industry for the past eight years and currently co-owns s/w pr shop, a boutique public relations firm handling both personal and consumer clients.  Armed with the belief that you only live once, Molly understands that when you pamper your senses, you find adventure in the everyday.

You can find Molly online at This Yuppie Life (www.thisyuppielife.com).

What’s your favorite taste of summer?

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