Just a Few 'Maters!

The heat is definitely oppressive and the tomatoes are not their happiest when it's this hot.  How hot is it?  So hot that I could skip a step making tomato sauce and cook them on the vine!!!!

Seriously, thanks to the heat we had a bout of blossom end rot, which is a calcium deficiency.  I applied some foliar calcium and fast-acting lime and seemed to help.  I did notice that the tomatoes I mulched with straw have fared better than the ones that I didn't. Any periods of super fast growth, major fruiting and drastic temperature changes can cause this problem.

It seems to have abated somewhat, but now, with the heat, I'm having to pick a lot that aren't quite ready because they risk being scorched.  I have lost two black brandywine to hot spots, but have been getting lots of others.

Tonight I'm making Caprese salad and am wondering why I hadn't made it yet this summer.  What was I thinking?  I need to get on it before the basil is toast!  I picked up some fresh mozz from the gourmet store and am using really high quality BR Cohn balsamic vinegar.  It's a 25 year balsamic made by the BR Cohn winery which, incidentally, is owned by the manager of the Doobie Brothers.  "It keeps you running, yeah, it keeps you running".... This heat is having the opposite effect on me!  It's keeping me dragging.

So, for an awesome Caprese salad, start with high quality (preferably heirloom) tomatoes, use a high quality olive oil (I use the BR Cohn organic olive oil or one from Paso Robles. Spanish ones are nice, too), high quality balsamic, fresh mozzarella (buffalo if you can get it) and fresh basil.
Why am I stressing high quality?  Because none of this is going to be cooked, so it needs to accent the fruit and not overpower it. You want it to brighten and liven the salad without masking it and you don't want a vinegar-y taste, so taste your balsamic first before you put it on your salad.  If it makes you wince, don't use it!!  If you feel like you could polish silver with it, throw it away.  And make sure your olive oil is still good.  It does turn rancid as it ages after being opened,  or if it's exposed to heat, so be aware!
A little good sea salt and a dash of pepper and you're good to go.  Chiffonade the basil and Voila!  You could add some super skinny slivers of red onion for color and if you like onion.  Otherwise I think it is divine as is.

I will post pictures of mine after I make it.  It should be really colorful  with the variety of tomatoes I have this year.

Bon Appetit!

Next time: Carb-loving Bees.....