“Summertime is all about tomatoes” says Scott Weidert, owner of Heartwood Eatery in Nevada City. “I have about 20 tomato plants in my home garden, mostly cherry and heirloom varieties. I always love this time of year when you can eat the tomatoes ripe off the vine.”
If you haven’t been to Heartwood Eatery yet, Scott has created an incredibly delicious menu, heavy in vegetables and fresh, local produce, custom made into bowls, salads, and scrumptious toasts. This time of year, tomatoes are on the menu, locally grown from Nevada County farmers. “We get a lot of our tomatoes from Chapman Family Farm,” says Scott, and orders heirloom varieties from many other local farms as well.
At the restaurant and at home, Scott explains that his approach to cooking these days is really simple – and when it comes to local, vine ripe tomatoes, you just don’t have to do much. Scott was happy to share his mouthwatering recipe for Heartwood Eatery’s Tomato Toast with the Sierra Harvest community – check it out below! If he cooks the tomatoes, he likes to cut them in half and roast them in the oven. “Tomatoes have a lot umami, that really rich mouth feel, and roasting concentrates that flavor”.
Super Simple Tomato Toast
“We only serve this when tomatoes are at their peak,” explains Scott. “We usually make it with heirloom or slicing tomatoes from Riverhill Farm.”
- Toast bread of your choice
- While it’s still hot and crispy, lightly rub the toast with a clove of garlic
- Top with sliced tomato
- Sprinkle with salt (the light flakes of maldon sea salt melt in your mouth)
- Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and Aleppo pepper
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
- Garnish with fresh made pesto, fresh basil leaves, arugula leaves or sprouts