This summer has been hell, not only for the heat, but because, for health reasons, I cannot eat tomatoes. I found out I only have one functioning kidney, so I am on a very restricted diet until I get all my exams back and blood levels back under control. The only fruits I can eat are apples and pears.
No salami, aged cheeses, milk products, meat or fish, low protein, low potassium, and low sodium.
It’s a struggle. I am sure that when I meet up with the doctor in September, when vacations are over, I will be allowed things in moderation.
Using this month to detox. I was living on tomatoes and mozzarella as well as tons of fruits.
Summer is when Italians show their passion for tomatoes, pomodori.
Yes, we can get tomatoes all year long now, but true tomato lovers wait for summer. There is nothing like a ripe tomato just off the vine, picked at its peak. I am old school and only dress with olive oil and salt., sometimes I use red wine vinegar. No balsamico.
So many have adapted to the trend of using balsamic vinegar everywhere, rather than the traditional wine vinegar.
Families gather to make the year's supply of pomarola, plain tomato sauce, or preserve whole sauce tomatoes, pelati.
You can also buy bulk tomatoes if you don’t grow your own.
For this week’s recipe, I reworked two favorite recipes. I made a new version of a savory tomato gelatin, and I took a Sicilian classic, gelo, and used tomatoes, based on a recipe from a Sicilian farmer. Also, another fun recipe for using the entire tomato, by breaking it down.
The favorite way to celebrate fresh sauce is to make a simple bowl of Spaghetti al Pomodoro. A classic that will bring tears to any Italian.
It’s best to buy local. Support your local farms. If it’s grown locally, it was probably picked ripe, rather than ripened in a gassed room. To make the Italian vast quantities for a year is a team effort.
These fotos are from my friend Rita in Puglia. She owns a wonderful working farm, homestay, and cooking school, Cucina in Masseria
It’s so hot to travel in August, but these sorts of experiences may make it worth it.
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