This time of year, it’s ALL about Michigan tomatoes … ripe, juicy Michigan tomatoes. In every color, and in every size … we search for every heirloom name we can find: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Oxheart, Rutgers, Amish Paste, Currant Gold Rush, Currant Sweet Pea, Cherry Roma and Austin Red Pear … just to name a few. These are so delicious, all you need is a little olive oil and salt.
Best of all, we enjoy growing our own … on patios, on windowsills, in window boxes … the more rows of tomatoes, the better!
“At the end of the day, you can’t compete with Mother Nature. If you’ve got a great tomato, just a pinch of sea salt is all you need.”
~ Zac Posen
At Wickwood Inn, we gleefully feature Michigan tomatoes throughout our complimentary Farm To Table Brunch and Evening Sips & Small Plates. Wickwood’s Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Frittata may be your start at brunch. You may nibble on a cherry-sized tomato or two from convenient snack bowls at the Inn. We serve roasted Michigan tomatoes in our Tomato, Basil & Brie Strata as well as on our Cheese & Charcuterie Board. Enjoy them in Wickwood’s Bruschetta Atop Ricotta Crostini, PLT’s (Prosciutto, Aioli & Roasted Tomatoes Wrapped In Bok Choy), in the soups—Pomodoro and Gazpacho—plus on our Margherita Flatbread. WE’RE SO TOMATO CRAZY THAT WE SERVE THEM EVERY CHANCE WE GET … AS LONG AS THEY’RE FULL OF NATURAL JUICY TOMATO FLAVOR!! Reserve your seat at our table for all of this goodness; there are still a few summer reservations open, so call or reserve online today.
Our enthusiasm for tomato season extends from our kitchen to yours. A longstanding favorite originally featured in The Silver Palate Cookbook, here’s a staple in our summer repertoire that we know you’ll enjoy. Gather those tomatoes and fire up the grill. It’s summer time!
Gazpacho
Gazpachos vary from Málaga to Córdoba to Segovia to Seville, and the recipes for them have consumed more conversations than all the El Grecos, Zurbaráns, cathedrals, and museums combined. (But not more than the bullfights.) Actually, we understand that in Spain gazpacho is eaten mostly by Americans—and some say its origin is a Polish chlodnik, a Turkish cacik, or a Greek tarata.
Wherever it truly originated, gazpacho in an icy mug is a great way to begin a summertime grilled menu. We’ve made this favorite—which appears in our first book—for years, and have been known to add a bit of vodka to our mugs so that it becomes a Spanish Bloody Mary. Olé!
Makes: 8-10 portions
Ingredients:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juice
1 cup roasted tomatoes
1 1/2 cups canned tomato juice
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 large shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large cucumbers, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Directions:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, reserved fresh tomato juice, and canned tomato juice.
- Purée the vegetables in small batches in a blender or a food processor, adding the tomato juice mixture gradually to keep the blades from clogging. Do not purée completely; the gazpacho should retain some of its crunch.
- Stir in Spanish smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper, and dill. Cover, and chill for at least 4 hours.
- When you are ready to serve, stir the soup, taste and correct seasoning, and ladle it into shilled soup bowls or mugs.