‘pressed after polishing off this homemade tomato pie with a side of lowcountry daydreams
the dog days of summer are here in georgia: the daylight hours have become languid + rather drawn out, heat waves have come + the humidity inspires many an afternoon thunderstorm. even the morning hours are not as comfortable as they once were out on the porch swing. though many people don’t like to see the long, free flowing weeks come to a close; the return to school, set routines + eventually, shorter days, come along with a few spoils still to be savored. dahlia season is at its peak + full of potential for some additional blooms to spark a little last-minute summer wonder before first frost. many also look forward to the glorious finale of tomato season.
unfortunately, i can’t recall finding or tasting one single, juicy, ripe tomato last year + i had a real hankering for a decent tomato pie. i was able to pick one up from a favorite lowcountry bakery back in may, but it really missed the mark + the craving i was hoping to satiate along with it. since our neighbor mr. john had surprised us on the porch with an armload of tubers for the garden, i also wanted to find a proper way to say thank you. that’s when the fever really started to heat up.
when it comes to finding “the best” fresh, local farmers’ markets, there are quite a few to choose from with many spread throughout the boroughs + suburbs of metro atlanta. for my birthday this year, all i wanted was to find a haul of the ripest tomatoes i could set my eyes on + that is just what we did! a lady never tells all of her secrets so for now, i plan to keep the exact locale to myself. we walked all around the market before spotting shelves upon shelves of the softest red globes nestled into their aqua blue cardboard cartons–oh, what a happy sight– all those tomatoes just as delicate + tender as i dreamed they would be + fit to burst with a homegrown flavor you just can’t fake.
we filled a basket with enough for two pies, selected a few fresh cut pretties out of the cooler for arranging later, + chose a couple beautifully homemade lavender shortbread cookies for dessert. that was it! my day was made + i felt elated to have found the perfect tomatoes needed to whip up the summertime pie i had been imagining.
are you a fan of tomato pie or maybe another type of savory pie? please share your favorites below!
porches + pillowfights 