Crafty tomato creations
August is prime time for many vegetables and fruit. You’re
spoiled for choice when it comes to picking out seasonal produce, from
cucumber, tomatoes, blueberries and chillies, to onions, bramley apples, rocket
and much more… Thanks to their sheer versatility and seasonal succulency, we’ve
chosen tomatoes for our August crafty creations. And don’t forget - the humble
tomato is a fruit! If you’re vining for tomatoes, we stock yummy cherry vine tomatoes, regular cherry tomatoes and globe tomatoes,
sourced fresh from local markets.
Bacon and tomato soda bread
Classic soda bread contains only four ingredients: flour,
baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Our bacon and tomato soda bread adds a tasty
layer of flavour without taking away from the simplicity of the bread. In this
recipe, the bread is enhanced by a mixture of fried bacon, spring onions and
tomatoes – delicious. Find the full recipe here.
Do you know your bread history? Soda bread is an Irish staple,
baked in masses during the lead up to St Patrick’s Day celebrations. The
history of soda bread is an interesting one and the Irish were not the first to
create it, having discovered and replicated the process from Native Americans.
In the absence of baking soda, Native Americans used pearl ash to naturally
make bread rise without yeast. Pearl ash is obtained from potash, a substance
created by running water over wood ashes. Once the water evaporates, potassium
carbonate – pearl ash – remains, alongside other chemicals. Bicarbonate soda,
which we use in recipes today, was fully introduced as a leavener in 1846 by
American bakers, John Dwight and Austin Church, who established the first
baking soda factory in the US.
Tomato sauce with a soy sauce twist
Perfecting a good tomato pasta sauce from scratch is simple
but also one of the most satisfying things to achieve in the kitchen. For an
interesting element to add into your pasta sauces, why not give soy sauce a go?
If you already have a go-to pasta sauce recipe, experiment with adding in a tablespoon
or two of soy sauce and taste as you go, adjusting to your preferred umami
level.
The delicious layer of umami will add further depth to your
dish as the savoury harmonises with the sweetness of tomato. This Ultimate Umami Bomb 4 Ingredient Tomato Sauce from I Am A Food Blog is perfect if
you don’t have all your typical tomato sauce ingredients in. Butter, minced
garlic, tomatoes and soy sauce make up this simple recipe. We recommend
switching out the tinned tomatoes for 5-6 peeled whole tomatoes to take full
advantage of this fruit’s seasonal freshness.
Panzanella
Panzanella or panmolle is a classic Tuscan bread salad dish.
In-season onions, tomatoes and basil make this salad perfect for light summer
lunches with maximum flavour. Stale bread is key for making the croutons. This recipe from BBC Good
Food features day-old sourdough
or ciabatta
torn into large chunks, which are then tossed with the veg, anchovies, olive
oil dressing and olives. It’s the perfect recipe to use up your leftovers and load
up on your five-a-day. For added veggies, chopped up in-season cucumber goes
perfectly with this salad, which you can add to your next Best of Local order here.
