MAW'S STUFFED TOMATOES

This fabulous Tomato Season has me thinking about my first Mother-in-Law. She was really an Angel on this Earth---a kind, strong, loving, smart woman whose loving ways will make her long remembered by all of us who loved her. She was a marvelous Southern Cook, with a “way” with a Sunday pot-roast, and a true hand with a piecrust, turning out acres of Lemon Icebox and Karo Pecan and Chocolate pies for every occasion, and her Caramel Cake recipe is still sought by all of us who remember it.

But she had one recipe that I’d never tried before---when she made it, it was always called "Stuffed Tomatoes." She said it was from the "Murdock side" and had begun when Mayonnaise was a brand-new invention, and had to be made by hand, way before the family had electricity, or indeed, any appliance to ease the effort.

Maw always hollowed out the prettiest, well-matched tomatoes for her presentation; she'd stuff them just so and round the tops carefully, to make them into perfect orbs balanced amongst the parsley on a pretty plate. They were among the several recipes she referred to as "Preacher Food," and certainly the intent was elegant, if not the title.

And I can remember that Janie and Ralph would take several apiece, eat all the contents with a spoon, and leave the forlorn little pink shells for the chickens. And hollowing out all those tomatoes was not really fun work, so I began peeling them, mushing the whole bunch and chopping them with a handy little hand-chopper in a bowl, and going from there---despite my leanings toward gussying up certain dishes, this one just caused too much work and too much waste. Besides, it's really pretty, all pink and creamy in a pretty clear bowl.

STUFFED TOMATOES, just as she and I would have discussed the preparation:

Fry a half a’ pound of bacon pretty done, and save the drippings.

Six or eight REAL RIPE good-sized tomatoes---shape doesn't matter in this case

A sleeve of Premiums, crushed in the paper, with lots of small bits, not powder

A good big spoon-clop of mayonnaise (Blue Plate or Duke's make it authentic, but NEVER Miracle Whip!!)

S&P to taste, but AFTER the bacon is added

Peel tomatoes and chop fine as possible, or smush them with your immaculately-sterile fingers, into an almost-puree, with some small bits left for color. Stir in mayo, then start adding crackers; stir well, and watch for consistency---it should be thick, but not dry. You may not need to add all the crackers, depending on size of tomatoes. Crumble bacon and stir it in, along with however much of the drippings you care to---all is good, if you like a good bacon flavor, but it's to your taste.

Dip a spoontip into it, and do that little TP-TP-TP with your lips to check for flavor, and then salt and pepper to taste. Store in fridge for several hours, then stir well just before serving, or stuffing into a quarter-cut tomato for a salad plate, or put an ice cream scoop onto lettuce or sliced tomatoes.

This recipe has been in the family for more than a hundred years, from Grandmother White’s family out in the Hills, and tastes like a creamy BLT. Tomato season’s ON! Y’all go pick/get/order some really ripe ones, and have a taste of Maw Haley’s Table. She set a fine one, and what would we give to sit down at that table ONE MORE TIME.