Last time we checked on this darn plant, one of the tomatoes had blossom end-rot, allegedly, and the combined weight of the three tomatoes was bowing the plant to the ground, so i had to use stop-gap measures and lay the stems across an extra cage.
Blossom end-rot:
In the end, that tomato looked like this:
Gross, huh? But think about how beautiful it would have looked if it didn't have that weird rotten spot??the other two looked like this:
They ripened quickly. We kind of ignored the garden for only a week or two (tell you the truth, I needed a break. After the zucchini plants died, i lost heart. The beans haven't been producing like I hoped, the sugar snap peas never really came in, and well . . . sometimes you just need a break.)
Anyway, when we went back out to check, there were three ripe as hell Mr. Stripey tomatoes hanging there, ready to eat!
If there is anything I learned this year from gardening, it's to plant ten or twenty tomato plants next year. I just need more. Much more!
So what do you think this bounty looked like inside?
hooo-boy, it was such a treat!!
Look at those striations! Here's a closeup
Look at all that meat and the fact that there is practically no seed to get in your way!
This was the most delicious tomato salad. I did not adulterate it with green onions or blue cheese like the last one I exhibited here. Just kosher sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, the merest sprinkle of 15 year old balsamic, and a drizzle of truffle oil. The truffle oil really took it to that next level. And you know what made this so good? I finally got to eat a BIG FAT JUICY TOMATO from my own garden.
Now, DARN YOU MR. STRIPEY, i wish you produced more than three tomatoes!! Because I swear to you, these tomatoes were the most delicious I have tasted in my life. I'm not joking you, and eating a fat tomato every day for lunch in the summer is a tradition of mine. I am a tomato connosseiur. I love them.
These were really, really, reallly good.
I won't be replanting Mr. Stripey, though. So if anyone wants it, it'll be outside in my trash.
4 comments:
RIP Mr. Stripey.
Mr Stripey has instructed me to pass along that he regrets he had but one life - and three tomatoes - to give you.
Aw, I'm sorry to hear about Mr. Stripey. Mine has about 10 fruit on it now and is regularly kicking off new blooms. My problem is that nothing is ripening! They get plenty of hot sun, but everything's just hanging out there.
Maybe I'll get brave enough to email you the link to my blog one day and show you my stripey harvest (if it happens). :) I have some other types of plants that are producing beautiful fruits as well!
Every year you'll learn more about your garden and what you want to plant, I understand your heart break, I get emotional over my garden as well. Loving your posts and can't wait to have my stripey treats too!
anon, i promise not to link to your blog if you don't want. :) but i'd love to see whether your Stripey is as hazardous as mine.
Maybe your plant is just getting bigger and bigger and juicier! I thought ours would get bigger before ripening. Also i noticed that our tomatoes ripened a lot faster when they got more water.
I am kind of sick of the garden right now (as evidenced by lack of posting.) Weeds have really taken over some portions and I can't bring myself to get out there and do a winter planting like i should. Rally!
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