Taylor's Summer Tomatoes

There's something simple and honest about cooking food you’ve grown yourself. Keeping the integrity of the ingredients showcases the immense flavour that you can achieve with a little tender care and sunshine.

These tomatoes were grown over a very hot summer, on a frame bridging two garden beds, the smell of walking under that arch still floats back to me now. We were in the habit of sourcing different varieties, growing them all and the plants that provided the most fruit, we would dry them out on the windowsill and use them for seed the next year- continuing until we no longer had to buy seed.

In this dish, there are 4 different types of homegrown baby tomatoes, all of them with a distinct flavour, acidity and texture. The tomatoes are paired with good olive oil, sharp apple cider vinegar, local honey, a touch of lemon juice, picked thyme flowers, salt and pepper.

If you do not have access to grow your own tomatoes, make a trip to your local farmers market rather than the supermarket. Talk to the grower, sample different flavours and see what you like. The grassy smell of freshly picked tomatoes will translate into a very interesting tomato salad. For the most part, if you show interest in what people are growing, they will share a world of information with you.

Ingredients.

200g mixed cherry tomato

20g thyme flowers - sub for thyme leaves if not flowering

30ml extra virgin olive oil

20ml apple cider vinegar

20ml fresh lemon juice

1tsp honey

Salt

Pepper

1. Half your tomatoes and place them in a salad bowl, pick thyme flowers or leaves and mix together with tomatoes, salt and pepper.

2. In a small empty glass jar put in the remainder of the ingredients, shake well until the honey is dissolved.

3. Pour dressing over tomatoes and mix together well.

4. Taste for seasoning and if you are happy with it, serve.

Top tip - I never put my tomatoes in the fridge, eat them at room temperature or even warm them up slightly on the windowsill in the sun, the fridge takes away flavour. We want flavour!