The things that make me laugh, weep, and live.
OH THE JOY!
Published on June 5, 2004 By Shulamite In Misc
I realize many of you are yanks and it cannot be helped. As a southerner, I feel compelled to entice you with the southern delicacy made famous by a film of its name: fried green tomatoes.

I want to tell you how to make them properly so you won't be afraid to try them yourselves.

Yes, you pick them green. Very green. And they need to be firm. Now slice them as thinly as you can. I think thinner is better. They need not be see-through. Don't get all Emeril on me. Just thin.

Sprinkle one side of them with salt. Heat your canola (kudos to you canadians out there for such a fine product) oil to just where the small sprinkles of flour you use to test sizzle. (I turn my burner half way down, maybe a little more to heat. Then down if it gets too hot.) While your oil is heating, flour your salted tomatoes on both sides.

After your oil is perfect, gently lay the tomatoes into the oil. Fry them until they are golden or a wee bit darker if you like. Please don't burn them. It's easy to do. I take them up on paper towels to soak the oil off them.

Now, for the trick.

You have to eat them as quickly out of the skillet as you can. If you wait, they'll get soft and squishy or be cold and be unappealing. Blech. As hot as you can handle them, devour them. Caution: eating too many will make you sick. (the oil, I think.)

I recommend beginning with a small one to see how you like it. Let me know what you think of them, yanks. Any southerners out there wanna amen what I'm preachin' here?

Enjoy!

Comments
on Jun 05, 2004
I have avoided fried green tomatoes for a reason you mentioned in your article. I had them at a carnival once and they had been left out too long and they were all mushy and gross, but i will give them a try again when i can be assured of their freshness.
on Jun 06, 2004
I am a born and bred southerner and I dearly despise fried green tomatoes. YUK!
on Jun 07, 2004
I don't like tomatoes --- but by gosh I love That MOVIE!!!!!!


Jessica Tandy, Kathy Bates, Mary Louise Parker and Mary Stuart Masterson -- I'm 21 but I must have seen that movie at least 100 times -- I taped it off tv once when I was...9/10 I watched it about 3 times a day everyday when I was on Christmas holidays at my Nana's. "Secret's in the sauce"
on Jun 12, 2004
hahaha... didn't know there was "sauce" to fried green tomatoes... a new one on me, Trina!

Mason! I suggest tomato therapy... look in your yellow pages. Gotta be there... (it's okay, really, I hate fried squash.)

Giggles, I hope you'll find some fresh green tomatoes from the vine and try cooking them yourself. Really, you CAN do it! I believe in you!

Let me know how it goes!