Hanna

The tropical storm, Hanna, passed by without much effect at all here. We had rain on and off all day yesterday—and some wind–but not much more than a rainy windy day! My guests were already planning to go to the Mariners' Museum for the Monitor Center exhibit--or to Colonial Williamsburg to visit the Wallace Gallery--again, all inside. A few leaves blown off the trees--and that's about all it was.

Today, it’s gorgeous! The beach is already full of people–and I’m heading out there myself in a while.

We did not get enough rain to quell the peat fires in the Great Dismal Swamp, but, as I've mentioned before, they are not causing quite the problems that they were a few months ago.

The Alliance, a 3-masted schooner has been here all summer and takes guests out on cruises (schooneralliance.com is the website). Today, it came on this side of the bridge–and I happened to see it.

The past few weeks, I’ve been enjoying fried green tomatoes. Several people asked me for the recipe, so I thought I’d put it on here. I don’t fry them though–I bake them. They take less attention, they don’t smell up the kitchen, they don’t spatter, and they’re healthier too, I guess.

Baked Green Tomatoes, from the York River Inn B&B

4 to 6 green tomatoes, cut in 1/4-inch thick slices
(I really prefer the ones that have already started to turn–not completely green, but sort of orange, but before they’ve gotten soft inside–still very firm--this picture shows them too green in my opinion on the left , near perfect in the center, and way too ripe on the right for this dish)

2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup evaporated milk or cream
1/3 cup water
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 T vegetable oil

salt and pepper

1 c flour
1/2 c corn meal
1 t sugar
1 t dry mustard
1 t onion powder

Preparation:

Sprinkle tomato slices with salt and pepper on both sides.
In a shallow bowl ,whisk together the beaten eggs, milk, water, Worcestershire sauce, and oil.
Put the flour and meal in a shallow bowl along with the other spices, and mix well.
Dip each slice into egg mixture, then into flour mixture.
Arrange tomatoes in large, shallow, greased baking pans, or bake in batches. I usually use a large glass casserole dish sprayed with Pam.
Tomatoes should not touch. Bake uncovered in 350 oven for about 30 minutes, turning over after about 20 minutes.

Slice them real thin (like on a Mandoline) and they’ll be very crispy; but don’t cook them as long.
This recipe makes a lot—I usually cut it in half, and I get enough to serve 6 people generously.People have heard of "fried green tomatoes" from the movie, and everybody wants to try them even if they’ve never had them before..