Tomatoes + basil = a match made in heaven

I’ve always had a strong, visceral reaction to the scent of tomatoes and basil. The combination of the two, specifically.

During summers of my early childhood, my mother worked in a tomato cannery. My sister and I, the first generation of latchkey kids, would often meet her in front of the cannery at the end of her day and walk home with her.

We’d wait alongside Italian women, the swing shift, who sat on long benches eating tomatoes and basil sandwiched between thick slices of sourdough. The working woman’s version of bruschetta, my all-time favorite appetizer.

I made some this weekend, now that our crop of tomatoes are finally bearing fruit. Paired with a crisp Pinot Gris, it’s instant heaven. Click here for some Sunset bruschettas you can make this weekend!

By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager