CHECKOUT By Laurin Stamm

Tomatoes are the topic of today’s food page. They were also the topic of my food column some 30-odd years ago.

From The Kitchen of The Cypress House Sept. 9, 1978Tomatoes are plentiful at our house now. My husband grows tomato plants in pots all around our patio and the fruit of the 10-foot-tall vines is bright red, firm and delicious. We eat tomatoes whole, sliced, stuffed, cooked – you name it.

My stepmother was visiting us the other night as I was broiling tomatoes and she commented that she had never eaten tomatoes prepared like this before. So we gave her the recipe, which she fixed for guests over the weekend, and all approved.

Broiled Tomatoes

Medium-size, firm, ripe tomatoesSalt and pepperButter or margarineBasil leavesFresh parsleyRomano or Parmesan cheese, grated

Wash tomatoes, remove the stem and halve crosswise. Set cut-side-up in a glass baking dish or pie plate. Spread the surface of the tomatoes with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, basil and parsley. Place tomatoes under the broiler for five or ten minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle with a heavy coat of the cheese. Place back under the broiler until cheese is melted and slightly brown. Serve hot as a vegetable dish.

From July 11, 1984

Last week’s food section had an article by NEA food editor Aileen Claire on fresh tomato sauce and fresh fruit relish. The sauce inspired me to make my own. You can serve this sauce over baked potato, eggplant, zucchini or any fresh vegetable. It’s also delicious over pasta topped with Romano cheese

Tomato Sauce Piquant

2 tablespoons bacon drippings3 whole red peppers or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes6 large, ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried basil1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley1/2 teaspoon saltPinch of sugar

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the bacon drippings. Add the red peppers and saute until soft. Add the tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Stir in the basil, salt, sugar and parsley. (If you use pepper flakes, tie them in cheese cloth and add.)

Reduce the heat and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings and remove the peppers.

In early December of 1977, food editor Laurin Stamm began a weekly recipe column titled “From the Kitchen of The Cypress House.” The column ran continuously through November of 2000, featuring one or two recipes each week, and totaling more than 1,150 recipes over the 23 years.

Checkout, a current weekly column that features various food stories, events and recipes, today begins to look back at some of the most popular recipes from The Kitchen of the Cypress House, and perhaps a newly discovered one every now and then.