Every summer The Deer Hunter looks forward to the first tomato sandwich from our garden. For many folks that first ripe tomato put between two pieces of bread is a culinary delight that ranks right up there with the good eating of Christmas and Thanksgiving spreads.
At our house using light bread for a tomato sandwich is a must. We prefer Sunbeam. And while we know it’s not the healthiest bread, it’s soft gumminess goes perfectly with a flavorful ripe tomato.
Once you’ve got the bread figured out, you’ve got to have some mayonnaise to slather on it.
There are fierce debates when it comes to what brand of mayonnaise one prefers in Appalachia and throughout the south.
Many folks love Duke’s. In fact The Deer Hunter grew up on Duke’s…but I’m a Hellman’s fan because that’s what I grew up eating so that’s what sits in our refrigerator.
To complete the delectable sandwich all that’s left is salt and pepper to taste. The Deer Hunter takes a whole lot of pepper, me not so much.
Each year the garden gives you a tease of the first tomato sandwich by offering up handfuls of tommy-toes. And while you could certainly slice them up and put several on a piece of bread, it wouldn’t be the same as slicing a big juicy tomato.
Over the weekend we enjoyed our first tomato sandwich of the year and oh my was it good!
Last night’s video: Catching up with Granny | Talking about Gardening, Crochet, & Being Blessed to Live in Appalachia.
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My favorite food growing up was a tomato sandwich! Do you ever pickle green tomatoes? I’m not from Appalachia, but I remember my mom making them at the end of one summer, I’m a suburban girl from Bucks Co., PA. (or was when this happened in the ’70s). My mom didn’t garden but my godparents who lived just 3 doors down did, as did my grandparents who had a surprisingly large lot for living in Philadelphia. Either one could have provided the green tomatoes. Those pickles were delicious! She only did them that one summer, but I still remember them fondly. I’m sure they were a quick pickle because my mother did not do any canning.
Beth-we do pickle them! Here’a post I wrote about making them: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/frankie-chastains-green-tomato-pickles/ 🙂
If any of yall ever get up to Mount Airy, NC please go down the back side of mainstreet to a sports pub & grill called “The Loaded Goat” –(if you were a fan of the Andy Griffith show you’ll understand the title)
-but, do go try their Fried Green Tomato Sammich! It has thick cut breaded and fried green tomatoes/delicious slices of bacon/lettuce & a spicy mayo on thick toasted bread.
I love a lot of foods but it is #2 on my top 10 list of favorites!!!
Also call ahead before you make the trip as they were recently closed due to structure damage in the building adjacent to them, so I’m not sure if they are re-opened yet. http://www.theloadedgoat.com/eat
I will also note that when I make my own mater sammich I usually put a whole tomato on it, I kinda feel sorry for the bread having to carry all that till I finish it LOL 🙂
Pray everyone has a blessed weekend!
I’m a Duke’s fan!! I grew up in NC but came out West (Utah) for college and stayed. My parents would drive out to visit and I would always request that they bring me some Duke’s! Walmart out here finally started carrying it around 2017 but stopped carrying it last year. Every time my parents visit, they still bring me some Duke’s:) I just found it locally at Smith’s (Kroger) grocery store and I am ecstatic!!!! My tomatoes are almost ripe. I’m gearing up for lots of tomato sandwiches with Duke’s mayo, salt, and lots of course ground pepper! It’s a slice of “back home” heaven. I can’t wait!!!! Love your website and YouTube channel:)
For me a tomato sandwich requires: toasted white bread, Miracle Whip, a thick slice of beefsteak tomato, salt and pepper, sometimes a slice of sweet red onion, but that part is optional.
My favorite bread to have a tomato sammy on is Klosterbrot… A really nice German farmers bread…with a little schmeer of butter… yumm!!
Tipper, your Deer Hunter sure knows how to eat! My wife and I both enjoy that first tomato,& mayonnaise sandwich of the year. We might throw on a slice of baloney which is also good
I grew up eating mater sandwiches. We would go to the swimming pool about everyday. After swimming, we would be so hungry. we would come home and pick a mater out of the garden. I would eat a hot pepper with mine. Nothing better. We lived on the mill hill. but my Mom had a big enough yard for a garden. She loved hot pepper too. We were raised on Dukes but I used Hellman’s Light for a long time after I married. My husband couldn’t stand it so we switched back to Dukes. The bread doesn’t matter to me now but my husband loves white bread.
Oh! My mouth is watering!!
My father in law’s name was Clyde and he must have thought that restaurant was his. He couldn’t pass through Waynesville without stopping. A coming and a going! He was a Baptist Preacher and you know they gotta eat.
I thought Clyde’s was in Hazelwood but I could be wrong!
Ed, you are probably correct about Clyde’s being in Hazelwood. Waynesville runs right on into Hazaelwood, so I’m never sure when I hit Hazelwood. I’m with your father-in-law. Clydes is my favorite place to eat in that area. I drive from Maggie Valley, where I stay a couple of weeks on beautiful Jonathan Creek, & drive to Clydes every night for supper except the one day they are closed. They still do a heck of a business & I have to stand in line sometimes. Great nostalgic place!
I love home grown tomato sandwiches with Hellman’s & salt on white bread. Also am a big fan of BLT sandwiches. The best tomatoes I have ever eaten was at Clyde’s restaurant in Waynesville, NC. Clydes has been in business since the 50’s & serve Mama’s cooking. We asked where they got their tomatoes & they directed us to a farm outside Waynesville. Unfortunately, their tomato season had almost ended so we didn’t get our tomatoes, but I did buy pink eyed peas. Had never had pink eyed peas. There were ok, but I like purple Hull peas much better. I sure wish I had thought to ask that farm what kind of tomatoes they grew, so I could try to grow them back home in Mississippi.
Oh yes, Hellman’s for me!!! Not a Dukes fan, taste like Miracle Whip not mayo.
Tipper, tell your mother that Siri responds to “Thank you!” She has good manners just like Granny is trying to teach Paul! :,). Yes, I’ve caught myself thanking her. My bride thinks it’s hilarious.
My Pa used to keep a paper of salt in his pocket so he could eat ripe tomatoes right off the vine. I kept it in waxed paper folded up like a BC powder. (Does everyone outside the South know the BC powder? What about Goody’s?)
Keep up the good work, Tipper!
Blessings to all!
Had one today and it was soooo yummy!
Drool…..slurp!
I have already commented twice but the talk about Dukes mayonnaise made me wonder how many know that the recipe for it started in Greenville, SC. A lady made the mayonnaise in her kitchen and used it on sandwiches she sold to the cotton mill workers. This was back in the first half of the 1900’s. Word got out about it being so good that at some point the C F Sauer company bought the rights or recipe from her. You can read the story on the Dukes mayonnaise website.
My mother taught me how to make the perfect tomato sandwich, from the way she learned to make them while away from home, in school, and living on a paltry allowance.
Butter your light bread and toast in the oven. THEN slather on the mayo (no pref. really — they all taste pretty much the same), add tomato, and salt — no pepper.
Nonpareil.
That is the way I make mine most the time; but it still tastes so dang good untoasted too! 🙂
Dukes Mayonnaise is made in Mauldin, South Carolina. That is part of Appalachia. Hellman’s is made all over the world and is owned by Unilever. They also make Dove, Suave, Tresemme, and Axe. Maybe that’s why it has that soapy flavor!
Just picking!
My mater sandwich is juicy ripe tomato, sunbeam bread, thick layers of miracle whip an plenty of salt and pepper.
I just couldn’t wait for local tomatoes. Since I can’t grow them here in the middle of the woods, I try to wait for the farmers markets. Just couldn’t do it this year – we’re behind – again. So I bought some promising-looking heirloom tomatoes at the grocery store. While not near as good as locally grown, they did in a pinch. Oh, I’m a Hellman’s girl myself. My favorite is on seeded rye bread with a smidge of salt – no pepper for me. My Aunt Jean Hyatt taught me this way and I see no earthly reason to change.
One of the high points of life is the first M&M (Mater& Mayonnaise) sandwich of the season, and I want Hellman’s on mine! I am not picky about the brand of the bread as long as its soft gummy white bread then add salt and pepper. I don’t eat white bread anymore…. except when the tomatoes turn ripe. Our mountain tomatoes can’t be beat on an M&M
Well, we’ve yet to have a tomato sandwich in this house this summer. I found some in a store the other day that said, local farm grown but they looked awful so I will continue to look. There is nothing any better in this world to me than a tomato sandwich which has to have soft white bread, Duke’s mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Yes, here at home, it has to be Duke’s. I’m not giving up and next year, here in town, I plan to grow some tomatoes and I do want to try a Cherokee Purple. Tipper, I enjoyed the video with you and Granny. You are so blessed. What a sweetheart she is! I enjoy the talks you have with her and how precious to be crocheting baby blankets for the little ones on the way and even for future great grandbabies also. Have a blessed day everyone!!
Here are the ingredients in a whole grain “healthy” bread:
INGREDIENTS: Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Wheat Gluten, Yeast, Brown Sugar, Sugar, Contains 2% or Less of each of the Following: Whole Rye Flour, Soybean Oil, Raisin Juice Concentrate, Rolled Oats, Salt, Barley Flakes, Triticale Flour, Sunflower Seed, Dough Conditioners (Contains One or More of the Following: Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate, Monoglycerides and/or Diglycerides, Calcium Peroxide, Calcium Iodate, Datem, Ethoxylated Mono- and Diglycerides, Azodicarbonamide, Enzymes), Flax Seed, Cultured Wheat Flour, Vinegar, Wheat Starch, Whole Spelt Flour, Whole Amaranth, Hulled Whole Millet, Whole Kamut, Whole Brown Rice Flour, Whole Buckwheat Flour, Whole Milled Corn, Calcium Sulfate, Soy Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Ammonium Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Topped with Whole Amaranth Seed, Flaxseed, and Wheat Bran.
If I can’t pronounce it I don’t want to eat it.
It used to be that light bread was for the “upper crust” while biscuits were for the lowlifes like us. I so envied the well off kids with their light bread sandwiches. As I grew up I retained that notion of your status in life was defined by the bread you eat. Then along about middle age my taste buds began to overrule my prejudices and I realized that light bread had little to no discernible flavor unless it was toasted. It tasted like whatever you put on or between it. It’s function was to allow you to eat with your hands without making a mess.
After I retired I decided I was through with store bought everything that I could make for myself. I had the time, I took the time. Bread was one of those things. All I needed was:
INGREDIENTS: White Bread (Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron Thiamin Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Sugar Yeast, Salt, Soybean Oil and or Canola Oil, Salt, Dough Conditioners (Monoglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl, Lactylate, Ascorbic Acid, Enzymes, Preservatives (Calcium Propionate, Propionic Acid, Phosphoric Acid), Yeast Nutrients,( Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate), Soy lecithin. ),)
Where am I going to find all that? Maybe I don’t need all that! So, I go looking for recipes. What I found was basically the same in most recipes: flour, water, yeast, salt, a little bit of sugar or honey and a little butter or oil. I had all that already!
Now I bake all my own bread. I did have to eat some store bought buns back in November when I couldn’t get out of bed to cook anything and my kids were bringing me everything I ate. Since I got back on my feet I haven’t made any bread except cornbread, pizza crust and biscuits. I make your cream and self-rising flour biscuits and they turn out perfect every time. I still take the doughy part out and eat only the crusts when I eat mater biscuits. Just biscuit, mater and a little salt. And I do eat store bought tomatoes when I don’t have my own home grown. Of course they aren’t nearly as good but they, along with visions of the real thing, suffice until summer.
And now to the mayonnaise. I use only Dukes! But since I don’t eat light bread any more, I only use it in potato salad and coleslaw. Dukes seems a little too salty to me if you taste it by itself but if you back off the salt in the finished food it works out better.
Tune in tomorrow for the next chapter of my life!
Ed. I had similar experiences, going to a school and pulling out my biscuit and jelly sandwich while others ate light bread sandwiches. We often want what we don’t have, looking back later and realizing that we actually had the better deal.
Tipper–I’m in Matt’s court when it comes to both the brand of mayonnaise and lots of black pepper (and a tetch of salt). For an occasional difference, I like to make a mater sandwich from crusty French bread. Of course, more than anything, it’s the taste of the tomato that carries the day.
Our ‘maters are as big as they have any business ever getting to be, but still green as grass! Will they never ripen? We had several very, very dry weeks here in east TN, then 5″ of rain in 5 days. Maybe they’ll come on soon. Duke’s for sure. Down on the Low Country coast of SC and GA where we go to fish a lot, they like a slice of sweet Vidalia onion on their ‘mater sandwichs… we’ve tried it, it’s not bad. And adding a layer of pimiento cheese is good late in the season if you want a change, too.
Couldn’t wait for a red mater so I made some fried green tomatoes for the 4th of July cookout. I grew up in Maryland where Kraft and Hellmans mayo are common. I prefer the richness of Duke’s which I most often use now. The best mater sammidge is, as you say Tipper, on soft white bread – the kind that I made dough balls out of as a kid. On the farm it was more common to have a tomato on a biscuit. I like to add cuke slices and maybe onion to a tomato sandwich. And of course, salt. And bacon elevates a tomato sammidge to a whole nother level.
I too grew up eating tomato sandwiches on white bread, lots of mayonnaise and salt. I use to only prefer Duke’s Mayo, but have also used Hellman’s. Sadly, since prices have skyrocketed I now buy what’s on sale. I picked my first big Cherokee Purple tomato from my garden, but it’s not fully ripe so I have it in the window waiting for it to completely ripe. I can’t wait to try it on a tomato sandwich.
NO MAYO for me. I spread peanut butter {thin} on both slices of bread and my tomato never slides out. I’ve had several already. I started plants in the kitchen window, transplanted them to individual quart sized containers. I then moved them to the basement window for nights and really cold days. On warmer days I set them outside and then transplanted to the garden. I use whole wheat bread.
We’re getting some Tommy Toes but the big tomatoes are teasing us along with just a little shade of red. I picked three promising ones and have them on the counter, hopefully to ripen soon. I’m always afraid they will get bitten by something or start rotting before getting fully ripe! I love buttered biscuits with a big slice of tomato as well as the white bread sandwiches. I like mayonnaise–Dukes, Blue Plate, Hellman’s –just no Miracle Whip. Lots of salt & pepper and green cayenne peppers on the side.
We are having a good crop of purple hull peas in spite of the grass, but I gave up on the green beans because of the ground hog invasion. We picked all the corn we could after we found two ears that were eaten–don’t know if a racoon has figured out how to evade all our fences, etc. but didn’t want to risk it. Anyway, I’ve got a busy day ahead!
We won’t get our first tomato sandwich before August, but that will probably be our supper meal. It is looked forward to for the whole garden season. It’s Dukes for us. After moving to Ohio we always brought 4 to 6 jars back when we visited SC or relatives came to Ohio. We were wonderfully surprised when Walmart and Kroger started to stock it here several years ago. We aren’t the only ones up North that likes it from the looks of the shelf.
My pap (short for pappy daddy) grew four tomato bushes every summer just so mom could have all the tomato sandwiches she wanted. We also used Sunbeam and Hellmans. Along with cucumber sandwiches the best summer eating in hot weather. Always think of my mom when I eat one.
It’s been so hot here in my part of Texas, I’m not sure if my tomatoes will survive. I have one on the vine right now and am waiting to get it. And yes it’ll be a tomato sandwich. Hellman’s, a little salt and pepper. And if course light bread!
Tipper, we had our first ripe 4th of July tomato on June 3rd though we don’t eat the tomato sandwich since we are now supposed to use white light bread and that’s the main stay in the sandwich, we had our tomato on a salad but any way is good for the first ripe one.
Living in the Capital city, all summer we are searching for a good tomato. The ones at our State Farmers market are most of the time tasteless – they look beautiful – but no taste. My brother-in-law lives in VA and he brought us some from a farmer near him. They are “real” tomatoes. We have had some delicious sandwiches. Summer is not summer without a good tomato sandwich – so I will continue to search for a “real” tomato as long as I can. So enjoyed the video with Granny. She is amazing! She makes me smile and I love to hear her talk. You are very blessed, indeed! Take care and God bless
Sharon, we are in Smithfield, and we were going to go up to the Sate Farmers market but sounds like it may be a waste of time. We can’t find any good tomatoes here either. Maybe soon. I’m not giving up my search either because like you said, summer isn’t summer without a good tomato sandwich.
It always seems like your post is about something I loved in my childhood or even today. I have been longing for a delicious ripe tomato sandwich with white bread and Hellman’s mayo. Oh, my I can hardly wait. I’ve been enjoying ripe tommy toes right off my patio but I am so longing for my large tomato to get ripe. Fresh garden tomato sandwiches to me are right up there with slow-cooked fresh green beans, onions and cornbread. For me, that is the best eating ever!!
Loved hearing Granny and you visiting on the porch. I know you realize how very blessed you are to have Granny right near you as she is a BLESSING of wisdom in herself. I love to crochet too and that baby blanket Granny made is just precious.
Absolutely. I have often said I eat so many tomatoes in the summer my mouth gets sore. It is hardly a healthy thing to live on tomato sandwiches, but that is what I could easily do. I first learned how truly good they are when a coworker shared her big ripe tomato with me on the hootowl shift.
When they are plentiful and fresh, I also like tomato, mayo, and egg sandwiches for breakfast. I toast or grill all other sandwiches, but the only way I have ever seen a ‘mater sandwich eaten is with may and “light” bread untoasted with mayo slathered.
The old timers used to do different things with fresh vegetables, and I have even seen cucumbers rolled in cornmeal and fried. I turned my excess of kale into kale powder to add to food in the coming winter.
We like to make tomato pie. We have also tried tossing vegetables in oil and seasoning, and roasting them in the oven. It turned out well. Making fried squash is easier. I enjoy cucumbers on my tuna sandwich. 🙂
I can’t remember when I first had tomato sandwiches, but it must have been when I was growing up because we didn’t have any of the snack foods most people have today. I do remember at times having a piece of left-over cornbread and an onion.
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I like my tomato sandwich with plenty of mayonnaise, salt and black pepper. Sometimes I add cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
I’ve been eating tomato sandwiches for the last week on white bread and will continue until they are gone. My son-in-law is the one who excels in the garden and this year the tomatoes are especially good. Nothing better! Also, I thoroughly enjoyed your video with Granny last night. She makes my heart smile!
Yes! I start looking forward to it in May! Dukes and no pepper for me. Absolute bliss!
I too am looking forward to that first mater sandwich of the season. Hard to beat a sun ripened mater. As for the preferred mayo in my home, is homemade, and has been for the thirty-eight years of my marriage.
I am delighted you got some lovely and tasty plump tomatoes out of your garden! Honestly, it has rained until my garden is done for. I’m not feeling it anymore. I’m down, baby!!! I got up and the deer knocked over my plant and bit a few green nubs known as tomatoes he knocked down. I’m so angry right now, I feel like (and yesterday too I’m so frustrated) going outside and tearing up Jack!!! I mean I want to kick and pull and knock and curse stuff and throw me a good all out crazy fit!!!! My PTSD (from the military) is kicking over the whole loss of summer here in my opinion!!!! It’s been cold, rainy, windy, bugs I’ve never seen before, hotter than a fried egg and no in between. Basically I got a huge eyesore for a garden and yard and there’s no eye candy here… smh and fists… I feel better just letting it out lol…
Margie-I’m sorry!Ah the life of gardening 🙂
Margie, I know how you feel about the deer, they have jumped over 6 I/2 foot fence and ate everything in my garden except my tomatoes. I know many people live to hunt deer but they have became a real nuisance not only to the ones trying to have gardens or even flowers in the yards, but also for the number of wrecks or damage to cars. Since putting the fence up 3 years this is first year they have got into my garden. My crowder peas were just beginning to put on small peas.
My tomatoes are still green. When they get ripe, the Hellman’s mayo is ready and waiting.
Somehow or other I missed the tomato sandwich thing. Can’t figure why. Only after my wife and I started dating did she introduce me to the variation of a tomato sandwich with cheese. My Grandma came up with a tomato and peanut butter. Most people ‘snearl’ their noses at that but the tomato offsets the worse failing of the peanut butter, namely being too dry, while not adding any particular taste.
As to mayonnaise, I am not a partisan of any particular brand. If memory serves, all we had when I was growing up was Hellman’s. I don’t recall encountering Duke’s until we moved from KY to GA. Not being particular, my attitude is they are all about the same. I do, however, like a smoky bacon or horseradish mayonnaise. I don’t use them up very fast though.
I am jealous 🙂 That sandwich looks so good, I can’t wait for our first tomato to ripen. Do any of you ever make tomato pie?
Mint2Bee-I’ve had it but never made it. Jim Casada has a great recipe for it that I can’t wait to try 🙂
Maybe you can post it on here in the future 🙂
I only have one surviving tomato plant this year and it has eight tomatoes on it. I’ve been watching everyday to see if any of these are going to get ripe. We’ll it looks like there will be one maybe by tomorrow, if we don’t get another strong thunderstorm between now and then. I have hope and the Bama mayonnaise is sitting in the fridge waiting. ❤
I have been eating tomato dandwichrs since I was a kid. Soft white bread we had Dandee when I was little, mayonaise, and of course tomato. No grocery store tomato either , they tasted funny. Momma had to go to the produce stand daily no garden. I bet I went through a few tomatos a day. Oh and only pepper lots no salt. My favorite lunch
Oh yes, this i identify with. I’ve tried my best to use healthy bread but it isn’t the same so I broke down today and got Nature’s Own butter bread. We’ll see. I joined a csa this year and have already had tomatoes but they were a little tasteless. Too much rain maybe. I’m a Dukes girl myself.
Oh I can’t wait for it! But it HAS to be a white bread, that’s a must.
Growing up, our first tomato sandwich was between a sliced biscuit. Sometimes, we did not take time to slice the biscuit, but held the tomato in one hand and the biscuit in the other. This feast was usually enjoyed, mid-morning, by pulling the warm tomato right off the vine in the garden.
In my mind, I can still taste the goodness.
I also look forward each year to the first tomato sandwich. I also like a soft white bread , Duke’s mayonnaise, salt and a lot of pepper. I am not choosey about the brand of bread just as long as it is soft. The mayonnaise is different, only Dukes. I have been eating tomato sandwiches for about 3 weeks now with the best ones being made with the Cherokee Purple tomatoes.
Randy, I had never heard of a Cherokee purple tomato until this year, but next year I am going to try planting some. We’ve yet to be able to find any tomato that would make a good sandwich but I’m not giving up and it’s so funny how so many of us southerners have to have Dukes.
Man, that looks good! I’ve got a loooonnng wait until I get a bite of one of those. At least until mid-August. I like a slice of American Cheese on mine. I also look forward to just a slice tomato, sprinkled with salt & eaten with a fork. YUM. We also like baked beans between white bread – my maternal grandfather’s favorite along with the tomato sandwich. In my house, its a fight between Miracle Whip & mayo. My husband will only eat Miracle Whip. Often I have to make 2 different salads- one with MW and one with mayo. I hate Miracle Whip! Have just started harvesting peas in my northern neck of the of woods. They sure are sweet this year.
I love fresh tomatoes from the garden! Your tomato sandwich sounds very delicious! Garden tomatoes beat store bought tomatoes no matter what time of year it is. I, too, am a Hellman’s fan. It’s called “Best Foods” on the West Coast, but it is the exact same jar and commercial as Hellman’s.
Donna. : )
Ain’t nothing better than picking a nice tomato from the garden, preferably a Cherokee Purple, and turning it into a juicy sandwich with light bread.