Legal arguments aside, I say, why box it in? Let it be both! This salad is a prime example of the possibilities that emerge from letting a tomato express its sweet and savory sides.
In this recipe, fresh grape or cherry tomatoes (it’s no coincidence the varieties are named after fruits) are tossed with ripe peaches and blueberries. This extraordinary combination showcases the juicy fruitiness these ingredients have in common.
But being ambidextrous, the tomatoes here also act as a bridge to the savory side, inviting bites of red onion and a vinaigrette to the party. The light sweetness of the white balsamic vinegar (or a touch of honey) in the dressing helps reinforce that sweet-savory harmony, as does a sprinkling of floral basil leaves.
The resulting fruit salad is meant to be part of the main course, ideally alongside barbeque-sauce-slathered proteins, echoing those sweet-savory flavors while offering cooling, fresh contrast.
It’s a spectacular summer side that shows what can happen when we move away from pigeonholing foods, and let them bring their full, unique spectrum of flavor to the table.
