Tomato Sandwiches Are At The Center Of A Controversial Twitter Debate
Call us biased, but we think summer is the best season for produce. Peaches, corn, and watermelon during any other time of the year will be starchy, mealy, or flavorless. The best part of summer’s bounty, though, is arguably the tomato.
While winter tomatoes are pale, grainy, and watery, summer tomatoes are the opposite: sweet and juicy and packed with flavor. So it’s no surprise that when August comes around, people try to eat tomatoes with just about every meal. We’ve seen fresh tomatoes in tarts, pasta sauces, and salads. However, one of the most simple preparations has recently stirred up controversy online: the tomato sandwich.
Food writer Geraldine DeRuiter opened up the conversation earlier this month with an extremely hot take:
After 24 hours, DeRuiter’s since-deleted tweet had hundreds of responses, some in agreement, others ardently defending the tomato sandwich.
A few users argued that the lack of protein (i.e., bacon) makes it a subpar sandwich. Many also expressed their general distaste for tomatoes in general.
Tomato and bread being a sandwich is like saying lettuce and dressing is a "salad." There has to be something more going on before it earns the label.
— 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 (@randeedawn) August 1, 2022
The majority of replies, however, disagreed with DeRuiter.
tomato tomato I’m throwing tomatoes that I could be using in a delicious tomato sandwich https://t.co/69AWXMxckC
— sam (@samanthaistan) August 2, 2022
a tomato sandwich is not only a thing of beauty, it’s literally the only time tomatoes are allowed in sandwiches
— axaxaxas lmäo (@demarionunn) August 1, 2022
one thing u can count on every summer is people getting mad about tomato sandwiches. It only fuels me to want to make more of them
— bettina (@bettinamak) August 1, 2022
We asked our team of food editors what they thought of the controversy, and they were all in consensus: a tomato sandwich is not only a legit sandwich, but it’s an important part of Southern cuisine. Senior Food Editor Makinze Gore said, “It probably came from the Great Depression or just people knowing a good summer tomato is worthy of a sandwich without the bacon.”
Brooke Caison chimed in with, “That is 100% a sandwich. Geraldine [DeRuiter] is a hater who eats tomatoes in January.” Associate Food Producer Justin Sullivan defended the classic pairing, saying, “mayo + tomato is one of the best food combos out there, that’s just facts.”
What do you think? Do tomato sandwiches really deserve a bad rap? Or are they a perfect seasonal sammie?
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