Monday, July 13, 2009

Season's first tomatoes

We're heading into my favorite time of year: hot July followed by hotter August, and just when you think you can't take one more day of 90+ heat, September comes and soothes your summer aches with cool breezes and just a hint of changing leaves.

But, let's not rush it. Pull up a seat, July, and make yourself comfortable.

I got a late start this year, getting everything into the ground. In May, we had an unexpectedly large amount of rain, so on each dry day, it was a race to get whatever I could into the ground. The rain also kept the weather fairly cool in June. Tomatoes love heat, and deprived of such, they're not above showing their disapproval by taking their good ole time going from green to ripe. They're over 8 feet tall at this point (photos to come shortly, if I can find my wide-angle lens), stuffed full of green globes and yellow blooms, so you can imagine my impatience.

The heat eventually showed up, however, and the tomatoes kicked into gear. One day, seemingly overnight, the first three tomatoes ripened. I practically cried when I spied them hidden behind their curtains of leaves. After vogueing for the camera, they went into a spectacularly yummy and long-awaited Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella salad. Ah, Summer. How I love you so.


Black Krim


Flamme



Amish Paste

5 comments:

  1. How beautiful! It's been fairly cool for the season here too, so I guess that's why I have more green tomatoes than anything. Your tomatoes are georgeous!

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  2. I see a tomato basil bisque in the future!

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  3. Oh, oh, oh, All varieties I lust after but cannot plant here. Yum. Eat one perfect bite for me of these beauties!

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  4. I'm a little stunned at the weather forecast for this weekend, which keeps us in the 70's Friday through Sunday. That's daytime highs! [Sob!] Mr. Canadian Jetstream, you don't understand. This is the Ohio Valley. There is where hot, miserably sticky air rolls to and stalls in our weird little geological bowl for weeks on end in mid-July. Someone please show Mr. Jetstream back home. I'm sure he's missed in Canada.

    Cindy, if my tomatoes ever ripen, you read my mind. :)

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