The Whistle Stop Cafe Has Nothing On Me

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe was a beautiful book and an even more vivid film. I was around 10 years old when the movie premiered and I did not understand the significance or phenomena of the film until much later (probably college).


I don't like to fry food much because I really like my arteries. I feel guilty every time I lift my stock pot up to the stove and pour oil into it. On the other hand, not having that pot or cast iron dutch oven available, doesn't feel right. It's like not having milk or bread in the house.
After a day or night of munching on crispy, oily food, I go full-force with my real diet. If there is a product that is reduced or void of sugar, fat, sodium, cholesterol, chemicals, particulate matter, free radicals...you get my drift...I'm going to buy it.


I buy nonfat milk, sugar-free Red Bull, fat-free sour cream, sugar free/fat free instant pudding, Diet V-8 Splash or Light Ocean Spray cranberry cocktail, Pillsbury reduced sugar frosting, reduced fat cheese...if I'm going to eat it and it can be reduced in any way, why not? I understand that fat adds flavor, but there are hundreds of other ways to make food taste just as good as the transfat filled, sucrose/glucose plumped goods that are out there.


I want to live a long time. I want to look like my mom and aunt when I'm 50+ years old. We get mistaken for sisters all of the time. My mom just turned 56 last Saturday and she looks 35. I look about 16 lol (or at least the guy where I buy my liquor says so).


I got the bright idea to make a BLT with 2 all-bacon slices, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, fried green tomatoes, onions, all on a flaxseed bun. Ok, there was no special sauce, unless you count reduced fat mayonnaise. Or cheese (even though in retrospect, that would have been OK) And no onions. That's just sacrilege.



The original juicy fruit. It's gonna move ya. Juicy, soft...it gets right to ya.



I wish I was eating this right now. Soft bread, creamy mayonnaise, sweet bacon, hot & salty & tart tomatoes, cool & crisp lettuce. Oh, my Lord, help us.


The reason why it's called a BLT.
Fried Green Tomatoes1 extra large egg
4 tablespoons milk
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 green tomatoes, sliced

In a small bowl whisk together egg and milk. In another small bowl mix cornmeal and flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; use more or less oil to reach about 1/4 inch in depth.
Dredge tomato slices first in egg mixture, then in cornmeal mixture. Carefully place slices in hot oil and cook until browned on both sides.
Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt.

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About the author

Nikki Miller-Ka

Nikki Miller-Ka

Ms. Miller-Ka is a classically trained chef with a BA in English from East Carolina University and a Culinary Arts Associate Degree from Le Cordon Bleu-Miami.

Formerly, she’s worked as a researcher, an editorial assistant, reporter and guest blogger for various publications and outlets in the Southeast. She has also worked as a catering chef, a pastry chef, a butcher, a baker, and a biscuit-maker. Presently, she is a food editor, freelance food writer, and a tour guide for Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours.

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  1. Oh I love me some fried green tomatoes! I never thought of using them in a BLT, brilliant!

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  2. I want your sandwich! I love BLT's. Mmm, bacon.

    Looks wonderful!

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  3. When I hear tomatoes, I think of two things... Fried Green Tomatoes, and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. One is a great movie, and the other a very strange kids cartoon :)

    Your sandwich looks great, I especially like the flax bread (PS the FFF post is up, you might want to read it)

    Drop me a line on facebook on how the whoopies went...

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  4. I wish I was eating that right now too!

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  5. BLT's are comfort food to me. Yours looks VERY comforting. I don't eat bacon very often, but when I do I truly savor it. Thanks for this great post Nikki.

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  6. I recently decided that (with the exception of milk and yogurt) non-fat/sugar free = poisonous. The sugar-free cran juice particularly tastes poisonous, I think. Why can't they just make it unsweetened?

    Bacon isn't bad for you unless you eat the whole package. ;) Fried green toms in a BLT is the cat's pajamas. I saw a fried green tom sammich with gravy (white bechamel) in a cookbook once, and forgot about it for awhile. I might just find myself too impatient to wait for those tomatoes to ripen...

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  7. I've never eaten FGT, but I remember the movie and I remember reading the book. The book had all of these great "Whistle Stop Cafe" recipes in the back, including at least one for fried green tomatoes. Boy did they look delicious. I'll bet they're even better with bacon (what isn't?)

    Your post makes me feel old though. I was in college when that movie came out.

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  8. OMG !!!! That sandwich looks GREAT !! I want it !

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  9. Kat: I wanted t pair them with something and I almost waited too long, it was on the cusp of wanting to turn yellow!

    emiline: Thanks! I like the flavor of bacon, but not the texture, but this bacon was all maple-y and good, for a change.

    Adam: I remember Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, that crazy cartoon...pretending to be like Ninja Turtles, but not. Yeah, Saturday morning cartoons rule! As does FFF! ;)

    Courtney: Oh, but you should. Definitely should. CS isn't there...dig in LOL

    Teresa: I used to have to go to work with my mom and I'd get these on biscuits or croissants and add cheddar cheese in the morning. I wish I could have this EVERY morning!

    heather: unsweetened cranberry juice is like manufactured cat piss. I don't know why they bother to make it. unsweet cran + sugar alternative is OK. Some sugar/fat free stuff is eveil. But mostly, it's not all that bad. Just don't get fat free cheese.

    Rachel: I have yet to travel to the real Whistle Stop and see what's going down. If gas goes down 100% more, I'll take a road trip.

    msjena: Thank you!!

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  10. Oh lord...you know what...I'm stealing this idea...please, don't kill me. But I'm totally doing this with some arugula, fried green tomatoes, maple smoked bacon, and some type of creamy ranch or maybe something spicy...anyway, some type of dressing...totally stealing this...did I say totally, yes, totally stealing this!

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  11. Take it, brotha, take it! Arugula would be real nice... spicy ranch mayo/dressing would be great. I can't wait to see this! ha! My bacon was maple-y, too. I'd rather have plain, though.

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