Rainy-Day BLTs

It doesn't have to be a rainy day to eat these- I'd eat one every day if I could- but there were two key factors that went into making this meal possible.  One: It is August and we have delicious, flavorful tomatoes growing in our backyard.  And, two: It was raining, ruling out all of the other outdoor possibilities with which one likes to fill a summer Saturday, and making turning on the oven to cook bacon a not-so-crazy idea.  It was as if the stars aligned for prime sandwich making. 

Check out these babies:

And, just in case their size doesn't immediately impress you:

That's a Gold Medal on the left, and a Brandwine on the right.  I'm not sure what the reason is, but a few of the first tomatoes in our garden are gigantic.  Those growing above them are more normal-sized, waiting patiently for these monstrosities to ripen so they can have their turn.

First, I assembled my ingredients:
fresh tomatoes
fresh lettuce
thick-cut bacon
mayonnaise
bakery white bread

The bacon went into the oven (I use an inverted grill pan over a cookie sheet, so the grease drips away from the bacon) at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

I sliced the tomatoes, and sampled liberally.



I washed the lettuce, a mix of Baby Romaine and Butterhead from the pots in our yard.

And, I sliced and toasted the bread, from the amazing Cape Cod bakery, Pain D'Avignon.

Each slice of bread (top and bottom) got a thin coat of mayo, and then I put it all together.  Lettuce first, then three slices of bacon, halved, per sandwich.


And then the tomatoes, seasoned with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

And then it was time to eat.

Happy tummies.  This was my "project" while Matt and his dad were working on the bathroom upstairs.  Were you wondering what ever happened to our bathroom?  Yes, it's still there.  Much like making BLTs, working in a hot upstairs bathroom isn't usually the first choice for a summer Saturday, but the rain made that possible, too.  There are still some loose ends to tidy up and then there's lots of painting to do, but I hope we'll be able to share some photos soon.