A line from Airplane! comes to mind when we contemplate this plump, juicy tomato from our garden, set upon a bed of iridescent easter grass to accentuate its form: "No wonder you're upset. She's lovely. And a darling figure . . . supple, pouting breasts . . . firm thighs. It's a shame you two don't get along."
A perfectly formed "love apple" plucked from one of our potted Champion FNT hybrid tomato plants this morning won hearts and minds with its sentimental valentine shape, flawless complexion and diminutive size, only 2" across. After growing and eating our own Solanum lycopersicum -- -- AKA Lycopersicon lycopersicum -- this summer, we found ourselves looking down our noses at the perfectly adequate, fragrant and firm vine-grown supermarket variety we normally use in our salads. More than anything, it's the texture, the red-through-and-through succulence that fully ripened homegrowns -- no tomato before its time -- have over the best Stop & Shop has to offer. Fun fact: As we blogged a couple of years back, the tomato is "really a fruit but for tax purposes a veggie."
"Beauty in unexpected places"
Posted by: goomp | August 17, 2007 at 04:23 PM
We are very very lucky out here - right near Davidian Farms - they grow these lovely things and there is NOTHING like fresh from the farm -especially when one is too lazy to grow ones own.
They had strawberries that melted in the mouth, blueberries that were outstanding in season. Currently there are succulent peaches. Sweat corn (not quite up to midwest standards *grin* but goooood), tomatoes and the list goes on. Living out at the back of beyond has some perks. ;-)
Posted by: Teresa | August 17, 2007 at 05:54 PM
Got the first of the year from my nextdoor neighbor's yard last night: just a regular big boy, but was a heavenly apéritif for the new guy's last night in town. He even shut up about GMO for a minute, it was so good.
BTW: have you noticed the light angle/daylight length/temp change that comes with the ripe tomatoes, too? (Happy End of Summer.)
Posted by: be | August 17, 2007 at 07:12 PM
Attack of the Killer Tomato.
Posted by: jameshigham | August 18, 2007 at 11:03 AM
It occurred to me as I was driving this morning... since you're growing tomatoes - do you have green beans too?
If you like green beans - they are dead simple to grow and lots of fun because they sprout so easily from seed and they grow so well in a pot. Once they start getting tall, you just have to add a stake to the pot and tie them so they stay upright. Even I did it without killing the plants!!!
The fun part is that the plants grow so fast, it's nearly instant feedback. I did it years ago for a couple summers when we lived in a condo. Then life got a bit too busy and I haven't done it since. But if I can do it - anyone can!
Posted by: Teresa | August 18, 2007 at 11:41 AM
Home grown is so much better that you cannot even compare. A darn shame that in New England we only get this Aug-Sept. Still, it's well-worth it. Tomatoes 3X/day/
Posted by: bird dog | August 18, 2007 at 12:00 PM
In my family the joke for years is that it has been a bad growing season if I don't have a nice canker sore by Labor Day - I am a year-round uber-consumer of tomato products but in the summertime I can pretty much LIVE on them with a little mozzarella and basil. The colors of the HUNGARIAN flag doncha know!
But since my rather dainty back is slowing down my gardening efforts, I think I will start working on growing my own potted veggies (I consider a good tomato the staff of life - forget bread! And green beans come a close second.)
Posted by: Gayle Miller | August 20, 2007 at 10:58 AM