One thing I always looked forward to when we visited the farm was Grandma’s tomato jam. It was always so perfectly-matched to a hot slice of fresh-baked bread or a piece of breakfast toast. I remember the first time my mom told me about tomato jam: I couldn’t believe anyone would make jam out of tomatoes! What would it taste like, ketchup? That was on our way to Minnesota one year, and shortly thereafter, I was pleasantly surprised. One slice, two slices, three slices, and more, were simply not enough.

Now, for some odd reason, Grandma’s tomato jam has been the only tomato jam I would eat on piece after piece of bread without even stopping to be full. It’s odd because I’ve had only a few other “brands” of tomato jam, and they’ve all been made by her kids, using her recipe! I think there’s a secret ingredient she’s not letting anyone in on . . .