Pastor Jim Jackson

Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church

Just when I thought I had savored my last tomato of summer, a kind lady in our church brought me a plastic bag filled with them. Ah, what a welcome respite!

Every season of the year has its rewards, but as far as I’m concerned, one of the greatest gifts of summer is our locally grown, sharp-tasting, lip-smacking, plump, red tomatoes.

Many people like to debate about this gracious gift of heaven, but I choose to eat while they fuss. Some folk argue that tomatoes are a vegetable. Others, supposedly more sophisticated scientifically, insist that tomatoes belong to the fruit or berry family. I say who cares about their parentage when they offer such great palatability? After all, folk, it ain’t where you’re been, but what you’re got that counts the most. Summer tomatoes have got it.

It must have been my Grandpa Jackson who first introduced me to the tomato. I remember seeing him stand over the sink, peeling tomatoes in the hot days of Florida summers. Some of them went into canning jars which grandmother would empty during cold days of winter for making soup. Now when you put that with cornbread or hoecake and a jelly jar of sweet iced tea, brother you got something.

But it was Grandpa who had the recipe for tomato gravy. In the event you haven’t heard about tomato gravy, I’m just fixin’ to let you in on one of the great culinary secrets of Grandpa Jackson.

You begin by frying up a good chunk of fat back, or salt bacon. Fry it crisp and drain on a brown paper sack. A paper towel won’t due. Save about half of the grease in your frying pan and add enough peeled tomatoes to nearly fill your pan when they are all stewed down.

Cook on medium heat for about twenty minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about three minutes, adding salt to taste. Finally stir in one cup of sour cream. Pour the gravy over cat head biscuits cut in half, then eat with the fat back or salt bacon, and hold on to your seat.

Each day I’m saddened to see that bag of summer tomatoes getting smaller and smaller in our refrigerator. Soon they will be all gone. I’ll have to turn my thoughts to the unique taste treats of fall and winter. Remember those months containing “r” in their spelling?

That means the oysters are in. Ah, sweet memories, sweet anticipation.

You ask about the tomatoes we’re able to buy in the grocery store during winter? They must be grown on rocks somewhere. They look like tomatoes, but they have the taste of newspaper and the texture of grits. As for me, I’ll eat collard greens and oysters in winter and wait for summer’s home grown tomatoes.