As you can see, I am dreaming of fresh tomatoes out of my garden. I am sowing tomato seeds and transplanting them  in my greenhouse now so I have tomato fever.  I even like the smell of the tomato plants. They smell like summer!  These recipes are samples of what you can taste at the Master Gardeners Heirloom Tomato Festival held here at the market in the summer  .They bring loads of fresh tomato dishes to sample and many heirloom varieties to compare and  taste.   You can use Aunt Ruby's German Green Heirloom Tomato variety for this awesome pie or just pick some of any variety when they are green.   I have never made Mary Ann's pie but I always make sure I get a bite of it when she puts the samples out at the tomato festival.  It is sweet and yummy.  You would never guess it was made from tomatoes.  I also included a recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes.  My mother always used tomatoes that were just starting to show color. They had a little more tomato taste than the green ones. Try them both ways and see which one you like the best. Enjoy!

Green Tomato Pie

Contributed by MaryAnn Turner

 (as printed in the Master Gardeners' Heirloom Tomato Festival Recipe Book)

This recipe came from my friend's Great-Grandmother and the whole family is native to Carroll County, so I guess you call this an Heirloom Recipe.  It is easy to believe this is an old recipe since most old recipes used a minimum of ingredients.

2 pie crusts

1/2 cup sugar (1/4 white, 1/4 brown)

6-10 green tomatoes

1/4 cup flour

Chop tomatoes. Heat to just boiling. Add flour and sugar.  As an added option, you can add a handful of raisins. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 or 40 minutes.

Country Fried Green Tomatoes

contributed by Carol Hose

6 medium green tomatoes, sliced

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup butter

Sprinkle tomatoes with sugar and let stand for 5 minutes. Coat tomato slices with flour, salt and pepper.  Melt 2 Tbsp Butter in skillet. Brown tomatoes slowly on both sides.  Remove to oven proof platter and keep hot in oven until all tomatoes are cooked.  For crispy slices, serve as is or stir 1/2 cup half and half to drippings, heat while stirring and pour over tomatoes.  Makes 6 servings.