Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes

August was full of tomatoes. We still have some ripening now - two buckets-full came in just before our first frost warning. They were happier in August, though. It was odd, actually, to see so many tomatoes being slaughtered. Tops and rot spots gutted, whole tomatoes quartered ruthlessly and thrown into buckets for seed processing, laid out onto trays for drying, sweltering in the heat of the oven or dehydrator... many made it straight to the serving bowl, perhaps paired with fresh Twin Oaks mozzarella and sweet Genovese basil, then to our mouths... ahh, so many tomato salads.

The lettuce is coming in waves now, but before it was tomatoes, more tomatoes, and how about another tomato salad? Delicious. I sure am okay with seasonal eating, let me tell you. I convinced some of the girls to have fun with their drying prep and this tomato-star was one result. Another tray ended up looking like red and yellow zebra stripes.

I also got caught in awe of the many different sizes and varieties just sitting around the kitchen - out came my camera, and into a wavy line went the different tomatoes, all in line and ready to march on the waiting plates of happy communards. They looked so beautiful! Green zebra, orange and yellow and red, reddish-purple, small and sweet to pop into your mouth, oblong for tossing into the sauce pot, large for slicing and delectable sandwiches... so many ways to enjoy a tomato.

I hope you grew some this year. Or stopped by your local farmers market and bought enough to set some by for winter. We'll be stocked for sure.

Comments

MMM, termaters! I grew plants in pots and they did a wierd brwon thing on the bottom of most of the fruit. We were getting a few until the dogs decimated the plants. They climbed up on the pots to jump up and down while looking over the fence. Filthy beasts!
hennalion said…
Sounds like blossom end rot. How sad. Dogs and squirrels alike went at my Mom's tomato plants this year - they kept digging the dirt away from the roots, then heavy storms came and knocked the plants over. Ah, well.
memeticist said…
Okay, i have done it now. I have subscribed to your blog so i will actually see what youa re writing to the world. Only it appears just as i have stepped in, you have stepped out - blogging less frequently. I have a postcard written to you (finally) now i just need to get some stamps.