If you ask me, the Pilgrims picked the wrong season for Thanksgiving. They should have celebrated the first harvest in late summer, when tomatoes are at the peak of their juicy ripeness. At least that's what I would have done if I were in their buckle shoes.
For several years, I have staged a tomato lunch around this time of year -- a colorful feast where each dish features luscious tomatoes. The menu changes every year, but the guest list stays pretty much the same -- a congregation of tomato devotees, ready to savor the annual bounty.
The centerpiece of the meal is always a platter of sliced tomatoes -- an edible patchwork of fire-engine red, daffodil yellow, sunshine orange, forest green and whatever other colors show up in the piles of heirloom varieties at the farmers market.
Throughout the other courses of the meal, I try to balance raw and cooked -- chilled gazpacho is a frequent choice, as is some version of a warm tomato tart. This year, I have added a sweet tomato trifle cake for dessert, so the meal is truly tomato from start to finish.
Of course, any of the recipes here are good on their own. With extra ingredients, gazpacho can become a light meal in itself. When I lived in Spain, my friends there always referred to gazpacho as "salad in a glass." Serve the cool soup in clear glasses for maximum visual appeal. Pour gazpacho into the glasses ahead of time, set them on a tray, cover all with plastic wrap, and chill until serving time.
Accompanied by a salad, the tomato tartlets are perfect for a brunch or light lunch. Feel free to add your own favorite tomato recipes to this meal -- bruschetta, salsas, pasta with fresh tomato sauce, and any other way you like to see red.
Andrew David Baker is an Edina writer.
