I have known Bret and Meg MacFadyen so long, it makes me feel like an old lady sometimes. They painted my kid’s high chair, made the ceiling of my dining room look like aged copper and Meg even showed up to run my toddler’s birthday party, where they painted huge murals. As I floated with bubbling hormones holding my one-month old newborn, Meg mixed paints and slogged across the yard to assist my three-year old, who was completely covered in paint. . .
Meg and Bret. They just look like fun, don't they?
You may not know this, but Meg and Bret started the Tomato Art Fest. It was one of those ingenious ideas that just caught on. Meg thought it was a perfect fit for her Art & Invention Gallery, which is located strategically in front of Bret’s wordworking/warehouse shop, “The Garage Mahal.” (Ask him sometime about what it used to be used for.)
She started with the premise that selling tomato art and having a recipe contest would be fun, and then the darn thing exploded. It was a bustin’ ripe idea. When over 5,000 people showed up that first year, Meg thought, “I need some help here.”
Tomato art festival goers havin' fun.
A new fashion statement: tomato red
The Tomato Art Fest, enjoying its 7th anniversary this Saturday August 14th, is one of Nashville’s very favorite festivals. In fact, it was voted the best festival for each of the past three years by the Nashville Scene. What started out as an little grape tomato is now a huge beefsteak tomato, with over 20,000 tomato lovers from all over the country. It now encompasses art, music stages, the King and Queen of the Tomato Art Fest, a parade, Bloody Mary contests, tomato bobbing, recipe competitions and more. It’s pretty mind boggling what a tomato can do for a town. Where is Bill Geist when we need him? Usually I am out of town, but this year, lo’ & behold, I will be in town and hanging at the “Garage Mahal.” I may even try my hand at the recipe contest.
In honor of the festival, and in honor of the tomato, I am giving you a recipe worth locking in the vault. I begged Chef Jamie Watson to share it with me after our cooking class, then called him last week and begged him to let me share it with you. It’s easy, it’s delicious and it keeps for a couple of days in the frig. Happy summer. Ode’ to the bustin’ ripe tomato– it’s just one of the reasons we call the South our home.
Tomato Confit – A delicacy that can’t be beat (my line)
This recipe is for technique – so quantity is variable. As a guideline, you want to use enough tomatoes to cover the bottom of whatever size pan you are using (I recommend a sauté pan) – for best results do not layer the tomatoes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Grape tomatoes* – washed, dried and green stems removed
- Garlic – cloves left whole and lightly crushed to release oil – 6 per pint of tomatoes as a guideline
- Fresh Thyme – left whole on stem – 4 or 5 large stems per pint of tomatoes as a guideline
- Extra Virgin, or as Jamie says GOOD, olive oil
- Place tomatoes, garlic and thyme in non heated pan
- Add olive oil to come approximately 2/3 – 3/4 up sides of tomatoes
- Place pan in preheated oven and roast JUST until tomatoes start to break
- Remove from oven, cool and place in non-reactive container with just enough oil to cover. Reserve additional oil and use for dressing, vinaigrette, etc. Tomatoes will keep 3 days, refrigerate after 24 hours. Oil will last 10 days to 2 weeks under refrigeration.
* May substitute cherry or roma tomatoes. Cherry will require substantial cooking time. If using roma – cut tomato in quarters, remove core and pulp and discard cut meat into 3/4 “leaves” and cook as above.
For all of you out there who enjoy a good tomato sandwich on white bread, you’re going to love a big ol’ servin’ of tomato confit on a couple slices of Bunny Bread–it’s that good!
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