Fried Green Tomatoes and French 75

Only in my world do these two co-exist.  Someone at my work left some huge, perfect green tomatoes.  Since I almost always get to work early (not because I am dedicated I car pool) I called dibs (Chicago term) and brought them home.  We started out with six, but procrastination left us with two because they turned red and they ended up in my husbands tasty Pico De Gallo.  While I cooked the tomatoes,  I started to think about the history of both of these wonderful culinary treats.  My Italian Grandfather use to make fried green tomatoes, which made me wonder why he knew how to make a southern dish.  I did some research and it turns out that Jewish/Italians not sure if that means Jewish and Italians brought the dish here to America.

 Now I have been only drinking French 75's for only a few years.  I like gin so I was looking in my drink recipe book for gin drinks and this one jumped out at me.  I have always loved champagne and this drink has both.  As soon as I read the recipe I was like the guy who invented this is a frigging genius and why didn't I think of this?  My only complaint of champagne is that you start to get sick before you get buzzed.  This is the perfect solution.  I guess the French and English both like to take credit for inventing the French 75.  Both can agree that it was during World War I.  The French like cognac and the English like gin.  Both agree with me champagne needs to be fortified.

Fried Green Tomatoes
2 big green tomatoes I sliced thin but I think I will cut thick next time
1 1/2 cup flour
3 eggs beaten
2 or 3 cups Panko bread crumbs
Italian seasoning eyeball it
Parmesan cheese eyeball it (hubby's idea and a good one)
Salt and Pepper
Cooking oil heated to between 350 and 375
Mix the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper
take a slice of tomato and coat it in flour then dip in egg and then coat in Panko mix.  Then do the rest.
Then fry a couple of minutes on each side.  You will want to eat right away but they taste better if they sit for a minute or two.

French 75 (my lazy version)
1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 or 1 oz Margarita mix
Crushed ice
Shake and put in tall glass with some more crushed ice
Pour champagne over
I like cherries so I put some in along with some of the juice with mine