sweet japanese tomato

i have no idea whether "sweet japanese tomato" is a legitimate subset of the tomato world, but it was slim pickings at the farmers market that week, and i took what i could get. and it worked out darned well.
the tomato was purchased really green and hard (picture a slightly blushed green apple) and ripened in my spice cabinet. when my friends down the street had an impromptu barbecue, i brought it over to try.
we tried a teeny bit fresh, and it was a very meaty tomato with a hint of chive flavor. which sounds strange, but is still true.


then my friend smoked thick slices in the hot smoker (for an hour, give or take) and seared them off on the grill. and the tomato was changed like you would not believe. it became its own sauce, full of flavor and nuance even though it was only cooked with salt and olive oil. we served it on top of grilled potatoes (also plundered from the spice cabinet).