I’ve been eyeing tomatoes at the farmer’s market lately. Red and orange. And I’ve been getting lettuce for caesar salads and sandwiches. So, the natural thing to do was make my favorite sandwich this week. A classic heirloom tomato BLT. I wanted to go full perfectionist with it. It’s healthy to let out the perfectionist once in a while. So, I made my own bread and mayonnaise and selected only the best farm tomatoes, lettuce, and bacon. I wanted a sourdough, but had limited time. So, I made my favorite quick “sourdough” BLT bread.

My “Grandparents”

This week started with a dentist appointment, which is always fun. And then, I found out that one of my family friends and former co-workers died. It wasn’t a shock – she was actually 99. But, I still had to take a minute to process that she’s gone, and I felt sad. I used to work at a historical museum on an island off of my hometown in the summers as a teenager. It started with the octogenarian cast of lovable grandparent figures who volunteered there marveling at how well I could use the computer. They hired me to be an archival intern and to digitize their entire collection of houses on the island. 

I didn’t expect much from the job. I just wanted something easy and quiet away from the intense hustle of restaurant jobs I was used to. When I started, everyone was incredibly kind, and they were almost baffled that a young man like me took the job so seriously. I wore my best button downs and a name tag each day, and I memorized the staff handbook. The layout of the museum. Soon I was able to give tours with the help of my mentor, Ron. He was one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. A lovely 80-something war veteran whose beliefs were incredibly open minded and empathetic. He would fume about how much hate there was in the world and he emanated love for his friends in family. There wasn’t an unkind bone in his body. 

Tuesday Lunches + Sourdough BLT

Every day my job was to remind him to eat lunch. He would become so zealous and enthusiastic giving tours to strangers who happened upon an old dusty island museum that they would look like they’d known him for a lifetime when they left. Food and his own needs was an afterthought, but he had diabetes and brought a PB+J almost every day. This is when I started to get really into baking and cooking and I would bring brownies, sourdough BLT’s, and other homemade sandwiches and experimental rice and vegetable dishes. He’d always ask me what I had. We’d talk about his life and U.S. history and his family and current affairs. He had a wonderful smile and such a warm soul. He passed away a couple years ago and I was pretty sad for a while. 

On Tuesdays, Jean and Evelyn would volunteer. In the same way that Ron became my surrogate grandfather, they too became my grandmothers. My mom knew them, too, and would lovingly refer to them as “my girlfriends” because we got along so well. They were a package deal, never seen without each other. They both lost their husbands young and became best friends over the decades. Both in their late 80’s when I was a teenager. Evelyn would save her paper towels after washing her hands and drape them to dry over the trash can. She was energetic, feisty, and a true leader. The youngest of the three, but very protective of them. She and I lead the charge with getting Ron to eat lunch. 

Losing a Friend

Jean was the sweetest woman I’ve ever met in my life. She had the presence of an angel. Someone so delicate and kind that not even the meanest person in the world could find a reason to dislike her. She was so loving, a great listener, and a big smiler. She reminded me of Betty White, almost. The girls would sometimes bring lemon bars for lunch that they made. Ron would bring molasses cookies that his wife made. We would all share stories and laughs and pray that no one would show up the whole shift so we could just sit and hang out together. The four of us. This became a tradition – every Tuesday we would have a grand lunch together. It was my favorite day. 

Jean died this week. My mom told me. She was 99, just like Betty White. I knew her health had declined in recent years, but I swear she could have lived to 200. At first I was in disbelief, and then an overwhelming peace came over me. It felt natural. Inevitable. But I was still sad, reflecting on all the lunches and stories we shared. I feel so incredibly privileged to have known all three of them. My grandparents. The last time I saw Jean was at the dentist, coincidentally, and this Monday when I returned to get my teeth cleaned, I almost thought I heard her in the other room. When I found out she died later that day, I knew exactly what I needed to do. Have one last lunch. 

Homemade “Sourdough” BLTs

I started by picking up bread flour from the grocery store, which was flooded with summer tourists and frustrated locals. I drove home and immediately began mixing a bread dough, the same ratios and techniques as my pizza recipe. It rested overnight as I plotted my next move. The heirloom tomato “sourdough” BLT: farm tomatoes, lettuce, and bacon. On farmer’s market day I woke up bright and early and secured some heirloom tomatoes. Red and orange. The kind you cut into and marvel at the natural labyrinthine patterns. I picked out a head of fluffy lettuce leaves and vacuum-sealed bacon slices. When I got home it was gorgeous out. 80 degrees. 

I lifted the cloth off of my proofed bread dough and folded it into a ball shape after kneading for a few seconds. Then I left it to proof again on parchment paper before baking. I spent the morning writing down some ideas. Relaxing. Painting. Then, after two hours, it was time to bake the bread. I used a new pan with a tight fitting glass lid and a wide bottom. I popped the parchment paper with the bread right into the pan and it was a perfect fit. Off it went into the preheated, hot as hell oven. It cooked for a while and turned a beautiful golden ochre. Then, I removed the lid and threw a few ice cubes into the oven to create steam. After another 20 minutes, the loaf was crusty, golden brown, and perfectly cooked.

Grilling Heirloom Tomatoes in the Summer

Later that day when my stomach began to grumble, I fired up the grill and seared some bacon slices. Then, I sliced open my sourdough loaf and buttered both sides of each slice. I grilled them in a little bacon fat until crunchy, caramelized, and golden. I made it back inside, drenched in sweat from the hot day and the hot grill, and drank some ice water. Then, I sliced my chilled tomatoes into artful rings and tore off thick pieces of velvety lettuce. Finally, I got my beloved immersion blender out of the cupboard and blended together a quick mayonnaise with egg, mustard, lemon, salt and pepper, vinegar, and vegetable oil. 

Finally all the pieces of my “sourdough” BLT were ready to assemble. Golden crunchy yet soft homemade bread. Perfectly rendered amber bacon slices. Pastel-colored orange and rose tomatoes. Wavy green lettuce. And tangy homemade mayo. I assembled my sandwiches and took some photos. Then, I dug in. Pretending I was back in the museum on a Tuesday with Jean, Evelyn, and Ron. I can still hear their laughs and the way the door would pop open with an unexpected visitor. I can see Ron emerging back into the office after giving a tour with a huge smile on his face. Evelyn pacing around and Jean sitting with her hands in her lap. 

Sourdough BLT + Memories

As I ate my “sourdough” BLT, I thought of all the lunches we shared, and I felt grateful for the time I was able to spend with them. How important and impactful it is to make friends with people from a different generation. They taught me not to assume all elderly people are close minded. They taught me how important friendship and community is to happiness. How special sharing a meal with someone you love can be. How we keep growing and learning and meeting new people well into our 90’s. And how important it is to slow down. Reflect. And share stories and memories with people you love. When I eat a BLT and cookies in the summer, I’ll think of them. My “grandparents”. 

I’ve got to tell you how this heirloom tomato BLT tasted before I go. The bread turned out great. It’s a beautiful fluffy yet crunchy, easy bread recipe with few ingredients. No sourdough starter or complicated days-long techniques. The mayo takes about 5 seconds to put together. And the taste of a salted farm tomato this time of year is one of life’s biggest pleasures. With salty, crunchy bacon and fluffy lettuce, the combination is stellar. I love sourdough BLT’s, especially on a hot day, and will be making this again soon. It’s perfect for a picnic, and the bread itself is great for anything. And just as good as real sourdough. I’d highly recommend making a sourdough BLT from scratch this summer if you have the time. 

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Print Pin

BLT Sandwiches on Quick “Sourdough”

A favorite summertime sandwich recipe with homemade bread and toppings.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword BLT, sandwich

Prep Time 1 day day 3 hours hours

Servings 2

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups cold water
• 1/2 stick butter softened
• 1 lb sliced bacon
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes
• 1 head of butter lettuce
• 1/4 cup homemade or store-bought mayonnaise
• Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

• On the day before having your BLT’s, make the bread dough. Start by mixing flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl.
• Add cold water and mix with a chopstick or fork to combine. Transfer onto work surface and knead until a dough forms. Continue to knead for 5-10 minutes.
• Place bread dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave on the counter to proof overnight, up to 24 hours.
• The next day, preheat oven to 500°F. Remove bread dough from bowl and knead it for 30 seconds to work back into a springy dough. Shape into a round ball.
• Place bread dough on a large piece of parchment paper and cover with a damp towel. Allow to proof in a warm spot for 2 hours.
• When ready to bake, pick up the bread dough by the parchment paper and place in a large cast iron or dutch oven pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove lid after 40 minutes and throw a few ice cubes into the bottom of your oven to generate steam. Bake for another 20 minutes, until golden brown and crusty. The bread will sound hollow when done. Cool bread on a wire rack.
• After cooling your bread for at least an hour, prepare your BLTs. Start by rendering 8-10 pieces of bacon on a griddle or in the oven until amber-colored and crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
• Slice your bread and coat both sides with a tablespoon of butter. Grill until golden and crunchy, about 2-3 minutes a side.
• Assemble your BLTs with two slices of crunchy bread, 1 tbsp of mayo on each slice, sliced fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and 4-5 bacon slices.

Notes

• For more of a sourdough taste, you can add a little sourdough starter to your dough. I’d recommend trying 30 grams of sourdough starter and reducing the water by 1/4 cup. 
• If you add sourdough starter, you can still add yeast to help with the proofing. Just use 1/2 tsp of yeast instead of 1 tsp.