344- "POMMES d'AMOUR".....LOVE 'EM?....

The French called TOMATOES "pomme d'amour"...'apples of love' (not sure why).
The Italians called them "pomi a'oro"....'golden apples' (even more not sure why).
But the Aztecs were the first to cultivate the FRUIT and liked mixing them with chilies!
When some Spanish travelers brought them to Europe during the 16th century, the word spread in the European countries that tomatoes were poisonous. That belief, in turn, in the 17th century, carried back to early America, and that's how we find the story of Thomas Jefferson eating a tomato in public near Monticello.
This historian, and tomato lover, has a habit of dining on a tomato, or tomahto, every day, when possible. And, since childhood, liked-----'mater sandwiches!
The bestest tomatoes, I believe, are the ones straight from the garden, with a quick rubbing off of dirt, and attacking the entire fruit!

THE BESTEST 'MATER SANDWICH: two slices of fresh thick homemade bread...a slathering of REAL mayo on inside top and bottom...thick round slices of garden 'maters laid gently on the mayonnaised bottom slice...a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper rubbed between my thumb and index finger over the 'mater slices....and then gently laying the top mayonnaised slice of bread on top of the 'maters!...lastly, slicing across the middle with a fave knife, making two individual 'wiches to savor, slowly, with sweetened iced tea in a GLASS, never a cup! (I think I hear someone muttering right now that a slice or three of cheddar cheese on the 'maters are their fave style...go for it!)