Tomatoes are a Southern thing, if you ask any Southern woman. We are expected to grow them, love them and use them in a hundred different ways. Well, twist my arm, I’m in! Heirloom tomatoes are a favorite, of course, but I love just a regular red tomato, too. I have fond memories of sliced homegrown tomato sandwiches at my grandmother’s house (who we called Jamma). When I was little, my favorite way to eat them was to sprinkle the tomato slices with a little sugar - yes, sugar - and pick them up and dive right in, the juices dripping down my happy face. Slow roasted cherry tomatoes are a different take on the sweet tomato slices I loved as a child. Instead of eating them raw with sugar, these are slow roasted for hours, bringing out their natural sweetness and turning them into little candy tomato nuggets. You’ll be amazed at how they are transformed! My Aunt Edith passed along her recipe for these slow roasted tomatoes. They are sweet with a hint of savory and perfectly capable of adapting to any dish you want to pair them with. She said they go great with chicken, fish, pork, pasta, bruschetta and probably even quinoa (she’s never eaten it but she knows me well!) It’s true, too. They are so versatile. Plus, they keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. If they last that long… And so good you’ll find yourself snacking on them straight out of the jar or putting them on a baguette or toast, possibly with a little spread of goat cheese, and calling it lunch. It’s a tomato sandwich, reimagined. You’re gonna want to keep a jar of these slow roasted tomatoes stashed in your fridge all summer long to brighten grilled meats and bring a punch to your favorite pasta salads. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn
