BLT: A Truly Seasonal Sandwich

Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches are rarely considered seasonal sandwiches. They're cheap things that you might order from a local pizza place that just doesn't have very good pizza. They're easy to make at home when you're just adventurous enough to cook one thing. And let's face it, bacon is always a good idea. 
But a truly great BLT is made from every element being great. You can get decent bread, bacon, and lettuce just about at any time of the year. But tomatoes are a whole other story. They're only good for about two months during the summer, and after that, good tomatoes are a distant memory. You can shell out a little bit more for some hot house tomatoes, which are OK during the winter, but definitely not optimal summer tomatoes, or you can engage in a complete futile exercise and purchase those tomatoes at the grocery store that have made a long long journey from a warmer climate. But during the height of summer, when those first tomatoes turn a vibrant red, and the smell of savory, juicy ripeness and slippery seeds fill the garden, you are truly ready. My friends, it is time to make the greatest BLT ever.

Now, besides the tomatoes, what you need is good bacon. Oscar Meyer and Hormel are not going to cut it. Go to your farmers market and look for stands with coolers. If there is pork, there's probably going to be bacon, and it's going to be farm prepared bacon. Incredible, thick cut bacon. Delicious, happy pork bacon. All of those things are essential to get the truly most flavorful, salty, and porky strips of fat and crisp meat. For this household, I head to the Batcheller Hill Farm stand at Dewey Square on Tuesdays, and usually while there, I pick up some bacon, maybe pork chops for a treat, and about a half dozen of their beautiful various colored organic eggs. But back to the bacon. This is incredible, wholesome, not too fatty, not too lean, beautiful bacon. It crisps up nicely for the perfect BLT.

So with the succulent, crisp, big payoff bacon, a crunchy, fresh leaf of lettuce from a head purchased at the Kimball Farm Fruit stand, two thick slices of country white bread, and a generous smear of Heinz mayo, you've got one hell of a sandwich. It's a perfect sandwich. There's saltiness and the nice bit of fat from the bacon, creaminess from the mayo, your crisp freshness from the lettuce, and then of course, the perfect canvas of not all too special white bread. 
Now, you'll have to excuse me. It's shark week and I'm very busy. (Ultimate Air Jaws!!!)


LOCATION RUNDOWN:
Batcheller Hill Farm
142 Oakham Road
North Brookfield, MA 01535
or
Dewey Square Farmers Market
Kitty-corner from South Station, Boston
(Tuesdays)