Celebrate Tomato Sandwich Day in Decatur, Alabama

My Deep South mother grew up eating tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches. She convinced me to enjoy chopped black olive and mayo sandwiches (which are actually really good) but not the former. Still, when I heard that the Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market in Decatur, Alabama, was hosting its annual Tomato Sandwich Day on Saturday, July 29, it made me smile. The market will be offering free tomato sandwiches — tomatoes on white bread with mayo — from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and hosting a new contest where chefs are invited to enter their favorite tomato pie recipe using tomatoes purchased from local farmers at the farmers market.

Tomato pie I can wrap my head around. That sounds yummy.

The tomato pie contest will be judged by local farmers. Contest registration is required and the entry fee is $10 per person. Prepared entries are due at the market at 2 p.m. for judging.

In addition to tomatoes, there will be jams and jellies, fresh-baked goods, local honey, local artisans and fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables including okra, squash, green beans, cantaloupe, watermelons, onions, peppers and peaches.

The Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market is located at 211 First Ave. SE in Decatur; call the Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market Manager Elizabeth Thompson at (256) 476-5595 for more information or visit www.decaturfarmersmarket.org or their Facebook page for the latest updates. Not a tomato lover?

The Market celebrates Watermelon Day on August 19.  

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves weird and unusual things, but maybe not a tomato sandwich. 

A killer Georgia festival

Summertime means tomatoes and in the South we grow ‘em, eat ‘em and celebrate ‘em. In Atlanta, they even throw a killer festival.
            Literally.

            The eighth annual Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival serves up all things tomato —bruschetta, salsas, sauces, entrees, you name it. There’ll be spirits as well, including Bloody Mary’s and other tomato-enhanced drinks. Proceeds benefit Georgia Organics and The Giving Kitchen, a non-profit that provides financial support in times of unforeseen crisis for people in the Atlanta restaurant community.

            This year’s festival will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 17, 2016, at the Park Tavern of Atlanta and will feature dozens of chefs and mixologists, plus live music. An after party follows at 5 p.m. at Park Tavern. Check out the list of participants here.

            Last year's festival raised $60,000 for Georgia Organics and this year the goal is $100,000. Come on tomato lovers, start seeing red for a good cause!

Cheré Dastugue Coen is a food and travel writer living in Lafayette, Louisiana. She is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire and “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.