I am a lifelong tomato lover. According to family lore it was the allure of this once-thought-to-be-poisonous fruit that brought me into this world, as in my mother spent the days before my premature birth peeling tomatoes from my grandmother's garden.
I look forward to Arkansas tomato season more than any other food, except maybe peaches. Arkansas tomatoes and peaches make Arkansas summers not only bearable, but -- dare I say it -- desirable.
When summer tomatoes are at their peak, I'll eat them adorned with nothing more than a sprinkle of salt until my mouth is sore.
I feel sorry for my husband. Truly, I do. He's allergic to raw tomato. He'll never know the sheer joy of eating a still-warm from the sun, juicy tomato at the sink. Juice and seeds running from chin to wrist to elbow. At least not if he wants to live to tell about it.
It's OK though. That just means more tomatoes for me.
So why all this talk of tomatoes when its not even June? This Saturday kicks off the 61st Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival in Warren. The festival features much, much more than tomatoes. There's the Miss Petite, Miss Pre-Teen, Miss Teen and Miss Pink Tomato pageants, the Pink Tomato Golf Tournament, the Pink Tomato Festival Trap Shoot, a gospel jamboree and even a cutest dog contest happening Saturday-June 8. Then the festivities continue with a steak cook-off, turtle races, tomato packing contest, cutest baby contest, music and street performers, a 5K walk and a 5K run, a pancake breakfast, a dog show, a parade, a car show, an arts and crafts show, a tomato eating contest and then a fireworks grande finale on June 10. For more information or a complete schedule of events, visit pinktomatofestival.com.
Copies of the 50th Anniversary Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival Cookbook 1956-2006 are available as well. Send your name and address with $21 per book (shipping and handling included) to PTF Cookbook,
108 S. Walnut St., Warren, Ark. 71671. The book features more than 800 tomato recipes, including this favorite of festival publicity and contributions chairman JeNelle Lipton.
I'll be honest, other than tomato ice cream, I'd never (knowingly) had tomatoes in a dessert before making this cake. It reminds me of Coca-Cola Cake, but with more depth.
Try it. I think you'll like it.
Heavenly Tomato Cake
Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil or shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing:
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup tomato juice
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, oil or shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, stir together the cocoa, baking soda and flour. Add to creamed mixture, mixing thoroughly.
In third bowl, combine the hot water, marshmallows and tomato juice. Add to batter and beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Batter will be thin. Marshmallows will rise. Transfer batter to a greased 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-by-1-inch pan. Bake 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the icing.
Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, juice, water, cocoa and salt. Heat to boiling. Pour over sugar in bowl and beat well. Add nuts and spread on hot cake.
Recipe adapted from Sharon Rice and Mary Ann Clanton in 50th Anniversary Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival Cookbook 1956-2006
Food on 05/31/2017