Fried Green Tomatoes

I used to think the idea of fried green tomatoes must've been dreamed up by someone who couldn't wait to eat the first tomato of the season.  But now I think the recipe must've been developed by a gardener who couldn't stand to waste the last fruits of the season!

That's where I am today.  I failed to "layer" my tomatoes a month ago, and I'm sure it must be too late for that now.  The sungold cherry tomatoes are still producing enough fruit to keep me interested, but the other plants are producing very few tomatoes. Between the current drought and the abundance of bugs and caterpillars, the remaining fruit is small, misshapen, and riddled with holes.  Time to pull those plants out of the ground and make way for other crops.

I did pick all the little green tomatoes, along with their plundering pests. Tonight, I'll slice the best of the tomatoes, then lightly batter and fry them, and serve them stacked three high with thin slices of smoked gouda in between and a dollop of Andrew's cilantro salsa on top.  I'll feed the worst of them to the chickens, scattered and tossed with those yummy worms.