My husband Robert lives and breathes the garden almost the whole year. During the winter he’s planning and drying the seeds from the previous year’s bounty, such as he did this year with the potato-leaf tomato seeds. When the first of the beefsteak-size tomatoes began ripening this week, I’ve never seen him more excited. He agonized when to pick it. He wanted it as ripe as possible on the vine, but he didn’t want the pesky and abundant rabbits this year to start nibbling on it. In ancient times, the tomato was a delicacy viewed as the “love fruit” because of its supposed aphrodisiac-qualities. It never made much sense to me, until I saw the excitement in Robert for this one versatile fruit coming into its maturity. True love grows, blossoms, blooms and spreads here in the garden.
The iVillage Garden Web discusses the differences in the tomato leaf varieties – either regular or potato leaf, such as the one pictured here. They are very distinctive in the garden. The type of seed used for our plants is brandywine. The tomatoes are very “beefy” and wonderful to use in sauces. We have a variety of plants in the garden this year, and slowly they are coming into their own. We can’t wait to chomp into the three sitting in the windowsill right now.
But we still have plenty more. Soon we’ll be covered in juice and seeds as we begin preserving all of this bounty. Now I understand why it’s an aphrodisiac – I’m in love with this vegetable and so is Robert.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy a tomato?
Living Lightly 
Beautiful tomatoes! Mine are all still very green. I love BLTs, but when I get my first tomato of the season I usually just slice it and sprinkle it with a little salt and eat just like that. A really good tomato doesn’t need anything else!
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You’re absolutely right! That’s probably how we’ll eat the smaller ones tonight. Those are called Rutgers, by the way. We’re going to be inundated very soon. Last year he planted 23 plants and it was too much. So he cut back to 20 this year but the tomatoes love the dry weather so I don’t think it will make much difference!
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I’ll eat tomatoes in almost any way they’re served, but hands down, my favorite way is in a caprese salad.
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Perfect, Staci. Great summer salad. Have to head down to Pennsylvania Macaroni Company for some fresh mozzarella.
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Don’t forget the basil!
Meanwhile, I have a whole box of zucchini I’m trying to eat my way through. My sister-in-law planted ten plants because all her plants died last year. None of them died this year. She has zucchini coming out of her…ears. When my in-laws came down to visit, they brought an entire shipping box with them. We’ve had it almost every night, and I’ve frozen some. I think my neighbors will be receiving some, because I’m about out of ideas, and I don’t want them to rot!
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What lovely tomatoes! Ours aren’t ripe yet. They are the reason we started gardening. Is there anything better than a fresh picked tomato? I like to slice it, a pinch of sea salt and munch away!
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Nothing better, I agree. We had it that way with dinner last night and they were perfect. Thanks for stopping by.
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