I know some of you planted tomatoes early. You are at home to cover and uncover them and might have little tomatoes coming on. You know you want them to stay on the vine until the first red one appears – but if you have a baker in the house, you might go out and find they are all gone one morning. You are thinking, “Someone has been in the garden, and where have all my green tomatoes gone?” Well just maybe then have gone into this cake.

Green Tomato Bundt Cake

1 cup grated green tomato

1 cup finely-chopped green tomato

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups plus ½ teaspoon all-purpose flour, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice

1 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray and flour lightly. Set aside.

Place tomato and ¼ teaspoon of salt in colander and let drain for ten minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel.

In a large bowl stir together 2 1/2 cups flour, sugars, apple pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt, then add canola oil, eggs, vanilla and zest. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl.

In a small bowl, toss together pecans and remaining ½ teaspoon flour then add to batter. Stir gently to combine. Spoon into prepared pan.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan for ten minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

I know what you are thinking: I could have ripe tomatoes or I could have fried green tomatoes, which are very good any way you cook them.

Frying Green Tomatoes

Take one green tomato slice, about ¼-inch thick, and batter in egg mixture of flour and cornmeal, salt and pepper. Have oil hot in a skillet – we used bacon drippings on the farm, but everything was fresh. Any oil will do, but the bacon drippings are a wonderful flavor.

Fry until brown on both sides. The oil should be heated on medium or little higher – you know your stove. When you bring the fried tomato slices out of the oil, have lots of paper towels in a platter so the grease will drain. I sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the tops, and sometimes, if I have very thin slices of Parmesan, I will put between layers and stack so the cheese will melt, about four in a stack.

Warm honey on top makes a wonderful first course. You need to eat while they are hot and the cheese is full of flavor.

Apples are a wonderful side for this Southern treat in the spring.

Fresh vegetables are starting to come into grocery stores. Ask if they have been in the cooler. Vegetables that have not been in a cooler have more flavor and will make all your dishes better.

Enjoy the summer fruit and vegetables.