World's Greatest BLT Sandwich

My favorite time of year is summer.  Not because of the warm weather, but because of what the weather helps produce.  Fresh Fruit and Vegetables. 

Each summer I grow fresh tomatoes to compliment our summer meals.  From cooking on outdoor grills to quick sandwiches, tomatoes seem to make everything taste better.  And as a key compliment to other foods, tomatoes are the key ingredient in Bacon Lettuce Tomato sandwiches. 

The ingredients needed for the World's Greatest BLT are: 

1. Tomatoes - Fresh from the Garden
2. Bread - Italian is preferred.
3. Fresh Lettuce
4. Bacon
5. Mayo

When Preparing the World's Greatest BLT, you need to be sure to cook all "warm" ingredients properly.  

Bacon should be cooked in a grill pan.  These pans keep the bacon above the grease which reduces burned pieces and ensures that the bacon is cooked evenly throughout.  You don't want too much grease in your BLT or you get a GreaseLT instead. 

Lettuce should be fresh and pulled from lettuce head by hand.  Don't chop the lettuce as it distracts from the fresh feel and taste of the sandwich. 

Italian bread is a solid option for BLTs but others can be used.  A harder bread helps keep the sandwich together and doesn't become soggy with tomato juice and bacon grease.   TOAST your bread during preparation. 

Apply a THIN layer of mayo to each piece of bread.  Not too much as it will distract from the taste of the sandwich. 

Slice the tomato to the thickness you desire.  I prefer and recommend thinner slices as it allows you to taste the entire sandwich and not just the taste of your tomato. 

Place the lettuce on your bread, and then the beacon and tomato top.  Cut the sandwich in half so that you can enjoy each and every bite. 

The World's Greatest BLT requires fresh ingredients and proper preparation, but it is all worth the time and effort.