Good news on the tomato front! I harvested my second fruit, a plum variety called San Marzano, and it was a lot more flavoursome than the first. It's still early days, though. Most of the fruit is still green and glistening and, I have to say, rather, er, erotic-looking. Perhaps that's why the first tomatoes grown in Europe were known as "love apples". See what you think from the photos below.
These are some unripe San Marzano. There's enough fruit from this particular variety to make a shedload of passata (if only I had a shed - the freezer will have to do) ...
These tomatoes are a bit of a mystery. They were mixed in with what were supposed to be seeds of the pepper Trifetti in a packet from the Heritage Seed Library, so I have no idea what they are. Any guesses? Biggies, by the look of them ...
This final lot are the ever-faithful gardener's delight, I suspect ... one of the finest cherry tomatoes for flavour (I hope!)
Well that's some of the highlights so far. Do let me know how your pomme d'amour are faring ...
looks, er, sexy. never knew that about the love apples thing. i think you're the frontrunner now in the sensuous category.
I've been eating tomatoes this weekend, red and right off the vine, with a shake of salt.
Posted by: drcharles | July 24, 2006 at 10:38 PM
I've just realised that this post looks like I am making a major bid to win the "most sensuous tomato" category in your comp DrCharles! Funny thing is I'd forgotten you had that category and was actually hoping to secure the "Most likely to raise public awareness of global warming and then defuse the global threat of terrorism"!
Still, any port in a storm ..
Posted by: Jane Perrone | July 25, 2006 at 12:23 PM
I'm laughing about those sexy San Marzanos. Your post will change the way I see my sauce tomatoes - still green, but one of these days...
Posted by: Judith | July 26, 2006 at 02:17 AM
oh dear - I'm growing San Marzanos too, and now you mention it, they are rather ...er.
Posted by: moonbells | July 27, 2006 at 02:54 PM
I have just started harvesting my own paste toms and put a new post on my blog called "Does Size Matter?" in which I compare the huge size of my Polish Linguisas (admittedly somewhat suggestive in the photo) to my tiny Principe Borgheses (anyone who's had great luck with sundrying toms, please stop by and tell me your tricks!)
Are San Marzanos your favorite plum tomatoes? Seeing your photo makes me wonder if I shouldn't grow some next year.
Posted by: Angelina | July 29, 2006 at 06:37 PM
I love the San Marzanos! How funny. Definitely most sensuous. I just found your site via Dr. Charles' - and will take a look around - it looks wonderful.
Posted by: Pam | August 06, 2006 at 09:35 PM