M grew I think 8 different kinds of tomatoes this year: Lemon Boy, Cherokee Purple, Sweet Million, Betty's Orange, Speckled German, Brandywine, Black Prince, Green Zebra. Many a night we enjoyed tri- or even quatra-colored bruscetta. My faves were probably Green Zebra and the Black Prince, and Betty's orange. M's was the Cherokee Purples, followed by the Brandywine. The Speckled Germans, we agree, were all-around excellent.
I'm quite fond of Betty's Orange because it has a nice provenance. It's an heirloom tomato who's seeds were passed on to us from M's Granny from her neighbor, Betty. And it's orange.
I've become an incredible tomato snob and I basically won't even EAT a tomato unless it came out of my own backyard. Which means that I really don't eat tomatoes about 10 months out the year. However, this summer I did discover a few recipes for baked/roasted tomatoes that I can probably use with inferior, store-bought, tomatoes and not be too unhappy.
Until next summer, I must remind you of two of my favorite things to do with green tomatoes - Green tomato bread, which is amazing**, and my green tomato Italian Farmhouse Pickles, of which I just made many many jars. If you are very lucky, I will give you one and you can experience for yourself the feeling of pure adrenaline that results. It's kind of like getting slapped in the face. Maybe I'll give them to my enemies as well, just so I can see the look on their rotten mugs. *Note: this word caused me and M much consternation. Is passed? Is past? I hope I got it right, but I'm too lazy to look in the Chicago Manual of Style.
** Except she puts 1 cup of Spenda in which I think is DISGUSTING! Why would you ever ruin perfectly good food you grew in Your Own Yard but dumping a bunch of POISON in it, I ask you? Anyway, just leave out the Splenda, 1c sugar is plenty.
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