This is more of a review of my own cooking than anything else. Plus I wanted to share with the blogosphere.

I made fried green tomatoes for the first time in my life. It was recently that I actually tried fried green tomatoes (FGT) and realized that I liked them. I think FGT is one of those Southern style foods that is probably a staple in many households during the summer months. Growing up with an British-bred mother, I was more likely to eat Shepherd’s pie. ***sighing fondly to myself***

Since we have a large garden this year with about 10 different varieties of tomatoes, I was excited for the possibility to be able to make FGT myself. I figured that it could not be too hard. I searched for perfect, plump tomatoes from our bountiful, producing garden. Hubby is a great cultivator of all things green. If I was more organized, I would know the variety of tomato used. But, the operative word in that sentence was "IF".

In any case, I searched the web for suitable recipes that looked easy enough. From those recipe websites, I realized that the common theme was seasoned flour, egg dip, and cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture.
Since I only measure when I am baking, there are no fixed measurements in my recipe of sorts for FGT.

I cut the tomatoes into thick slices and sprinkled with salt. I let that sit while I prepped the rest of the ingredients.
On a plate, I mixed a few spoons of all-purpose flour with a generous heaping of Old Bay (any season salt will do).

In a bowl, I beat one large egg (fresh from our chickens, of course) with a little water (maybe couple tablespoons).
On another plate, I mixed a few spoons of fine white cornmeal with finely crushed Ritz crackers.
In my cast iron skillet, I heated vegetable oil about half an inch deep. Stove temperature should be about mid-range. If 1 is the coldest and 10 is the hottest, set between 5 and 6.
I dredged my tomatoes in the flour, egg dip, and cornmeal mixture and then put into the skillet for a few minutes per side.
Once the FGT were fully cooked, I placed on a rack to drain excess oil and lightly salted.

I was so surprised how good they were! Even though there are several steps, the preparation is simple.
The trick is not to have the oil too hot. Otherwise the outside will burn and the inside will still be raw. The inside should be firm but tender. And I like for the outer crust to be crunchy and slightly salty.

If you have never had a fried green tomato, it is worth trying. I will be doing this again before all our tomatoes ripen and we have Insalata Caprese (salad made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil).