Growing up, I never liked tomatoes. In fact, I actively avoided them.
Then came my 30th birthday. A fateful day that would change my relationship with tomatoes forever. As a self-proclaimed Michelin star chaser who was craving her next foodie adventure, I talked 6 of my friends into joining my husband and I into a reservation at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. I vividly remember anxiously refreshing my web browser as reservations opened 2 months prior. Triumphally, I secured the perfect table, and we were off to the races on August 19, 2017. We drove up from Queens and decided to make it a full day trip.
Arriving at the farm, I felt like we had entered into a magical new world. Vegetables that once had felt less appealing suddenly looked delicious. They were grown with so much love. From carrot leaves to sunflower marrow, every corner burst with inspiration and flavor. It was peak tomato season, and a farm worker picked off a cherry tomato and handed it to me. "Try this," he said. It tasted like sunlight. Sweet, bright, almost electric.
That night, we had tomato sushi, tomato gazpacho, and a thick-cut tomato "steak" as the main course. I was paying for an expensive dinner, had a good amount of alcohol in me and was not going to leave a crumb on our plate. To my surprise, I loved it. I left the restaurant completely obsessed with fresh vegetables, full of flavor, and of course, the humble yet beautiful tomato.
Now, tomatoes are one of my favorite signs of summer. Especially heirlooms. They’re colorful and weird and completely beautiful. Not a single one is the same. And that’s kind of the point. I love the way they’re unapologetically themselves. A little cracked, a little soft, bursting with flavor. That wildness is what makes them special. Paired with burrata and fresh basil, they make the perfect dish for summer - refreshing and light, yet decadent and flavorful.
Tomatoes are having a moment
Let’s be honest. They’re the It-Girl of summer.
Tomato girl summer is a whole aesthetic now. The Pinterest boards. The TikTok videos. The linen dresses, the rustic platters, the outdoor dinners with tomatoes still warm from the sun.
Tomatoes are showing up in candles, cocktails, ceramics, and mood boards. They’re colorful without being loud. Chic without being try-hard. They make everything feel more seasonal, more alive, more full of flavor.
They're the perfect accessory for a Mediterranean style dinner party. Place a grouping of tomatoes in the center of a blue and white striped tablecloth, light a few heirloom tomato candles sparkling on top of fluted glass coasters, slice a few bright yellow lemons, and there you have it - the most inspiring, Pinterest-worthy tablescape. Who needs flowers anyway?
So I made a box, and for a limited time only, it can be yours.
The Heirloom Tomato Box is a little tribute to that feeling. Of eating with your hands, of long days and golden evenings, of craving something simple and unexpected.
Here’s what’s inside:
Tomato Leaf Candle
It smells like you snapped a tomato stem in your hand and rubbed it between your fingers. Green and fresh and a little earthy. It comes with a fluted glass plate because I wanted it to feel like part of your summer table, not just a candle on a shelf.
Heirloom Tomato Finishing Salt
This is the kind of thing you leave out on your counter. Tomato powder, garlic, Greek oregano, and big crunchy flakes of Maldon sea salt. You can put it on eggs, toast, cucumbers, corn, popcorn, even the rim of a Bloody Mary. It’s one of those small things that changes everything. This salt makes plain things taste like summer. A slice of cucumber. A soft-boiled egg. A slice of sourdough with butter. It turns “whatever’s in the fridge” into something craveable.
Porcelain Salt Cellar + Gold Spoon
Small but intentional. Inspired by the colors of Zion, the kind of piece that makes your kitchen feel a little more pulled together.
Each box includes burning instructions and ways to use the salt. I want it to feel like a gift, not just a product.
Who it’s for
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Your friend who brings wine and flowers and would lose their mind over a tomato candle
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The person who wakes up early for the farmers market and always knows what’s in season
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Your neighbor who hosted a backyard dinner and used cloth napkins
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You, obviously! :)
Supplies are limited, so get yours before they're gone.
This box will only available through August. When tomato season fades, so does this box. You can pre-order and pick one up at the market or order online. Gift it, light it, sprinkle it, and celebrate the weird beauty of summer.
One tomato at a time.