The Great BLT Experiment

For some reason that escapes me now, I decided earlier this year that I was going to make my own BLT. By this I mean I was going to grow my own lettuce and tomatoes, make my own bread, make my own mayo, and buy farm-fresh organic fresh-off-the-oink bacon from our local farmer's market (as there was no way I was going to keep a pig in the garden).

So I planted six tomato plants, put down lettuce seeds, learned how to protect my precious babies from slugs and snails, and watered everyone dutifully. I also learned how to use my breadmaker well (it counts as making my own if I put all the ingredients in the machine, right?) and downloaded Alton Brown's recipe for mayo.

Well, tonight was the night. I came home to a house smelling of fresh bread (thanks to the timer on the machine). I used wasabi and Coleman's to make the mayo (which I made from an egg yolk and oil) a little extra spicy. I picked the finally ripe tomatoes off the vine and fried up the good bacon, and pulled the home-picked salad leaves out of the fridge. I also made a pot of mushroom soup to go along with my mother of all sandwiches.

It was PERFECT. I've never had such a thing of beauty. The tomatoes were sweet, the lettuce spicy, the bread soft, the mayo creamy....just utter and complete goodness. There is something amazing about growing your own food - I really, really enjoy it. Now I'm looking at ways of ripping out the back garden and turning it into a potager, or kitchen garden (much to Henry's horror!). Next spring I'll start the tomatoes a little earlier and I'll be munching on homemade BLTs in July. Yay!