Archive for the ‘Tomatoes’ Category
Grow Tomatoes Review: Packing Tomatoes for a 400 Mile Road Trip
A Large Christmas Gift Box Reused to Send Heirloom Tomato Gifts Packing
DoT’s Thot: Heirloom tomatoes are so wonderful to eat, but can be more delicate than the hybrid tomatoes. I have now sent tomatoes on a 400 mile road trip twice to Berkeley from Orange County, CA. The tomatoes arrived in great shape and I thought you might like to see how an amateur enthusiast shared her heirloom tomato gifts with others.
Save and Reuse Large Flat Christmas (or other) Gift Boxes for Packing Tomatoes
I had saved some Christmas Gift Boxes and took the largest one for packing tomatoes. First, I doubled the box by putting the bottom of the box into the box lid to make it stronger. Next, I put in some crumpled up newspaper pages to give some cushioning for the precious heirloom tomato gifts.
Write the Name of the Heirloom Tomato Gifts on Paper Towel Quarter-Sheets
Then, I selected pretty specimens of the various tomato types. I cut paper towels into quarters and wrote the tomato’s name on the paper towel piece. Then I gently nestled the tomatoes into the box, rearranging and adding crumpled newspaper as the filler. The effect was quite impressive.
Most times, I would have had a large insulated bag to slide the box into (the bag is one that looks like a large over-the-shoulder-bag). Not having that this time, I then took a kitchen tall plastic bag and slid the box into it and made sure that this sat on the top of the most level and cushioned position in the trunk of the car.
For good measure, I wrapped one of those frozen “blue ice” packs in a towel and nestled that next to the box to keep the ambient temperature cooler around the tomatoes. The tomatoes made the trip quite nicely.
Hope this helps– Aloha, DoT
Related Articles and References
- Heirlooms versus Hyrids: A Common-sense Approach
- Care Package of Tomatoes Packed to Go to Berkeley
- Pruning Tomato Plants and String Trellis Video
Tomato Growers' Store (Even for Growing Tomatoes Upside Down)
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- Grow Tomatoes Review: Knowns and Unknowns About Mamie Eisenhower’s Tomato Pudding
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- Grow Tomatoes Review: Vintage Wine and Black Brandywine Heirlooms
- Review Basic Canning Tips for Beginners: An Inexpensive Reference
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Grow Tomatoes Review: Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice Recipe
Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice
DoT’s Thot: Reminder: Chinese Purple Tomato Homage to Fried Rice
I had some of these beautiful tomatoes on hand a few days ago, when I had the urge to eat fried rice. I selected my largest slicer and decided to enhance my regular fried rice with this special tomato. That turned out to be a fantastic idea. It worked so well and we ate the rice down to every grain that I decided to share this in the review as an idea you might want to try with your special homegrown tomatoes and leftover rice. Having written about the tomato characteristics on a previous post, I have now written the recipe down for you.
Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice Ingredients
Chinese Purple Tomato in Fried Rice Cooking in the Wok
Recipe for Leftover Rice Elevated to a Fine Dish with the Addition of Chinese Purple Tomato
I use my leftover rice, but you can make fresh rice and then make the fried rice using that. You can use other varieties of rice, but I happened to have medium grain brown rice leftover from two meals: about 1.5 cups of steamed brown rice and about the same amount of saffron buttered steamed brown rice.
- Ingredients Chinese Purple Tomato Fried Rice
- 3 cups of leftover steamed ice
- 1 garlic clove sliced
- 1 -2 tablespoons of olive oil (use lesser amount if your leftover rice has any oil in it, like ny saffron buttered rice)
- 1/2 cup chopped round onion (I used red, but any will do)
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 Chinese Purple Tomato (about 8 oz.) washed, cored, cut into wedges and cut wedges in half for nice big chunks
- salt and pepper to taste
- a small cup of water (keep it handy to keep rice from burning or getting too dry) Read the rest of this entry »
Grow Tomatoes Review: Chinese Purple Tomato Is a Beautiful Slicer Tomato
Day's Harvest of Chinese Purple Tomato 9 July 2009
DoT’s Thot: Don’t confuse these beautiful red yummy Chinese Purple tomatoes with the genetically modified purple tomato — I was shocked at the eggplant purple color when I found it in a picture on the site cited below.
I tried to find more intormation about the tomato seedling that I bought this year and found very little on it, so decided to make my own notes and go from there. So here is what I have figured out so far.
Chinese Purple Tomato with Flowers July 9, 2009
Chinese Purple Tomato with Green Tomatoes on the Vine 9 July 2009
Chinese Purple Tomatoes Ripening on the Vine
Chinese Purple Tomato Plant and Tomato Characteristics
The plant is an indeterminate (I) plant and is relatively rare. This is the first time I had seen it for sale anywhere and was intrigued, since “Chinese” was not too common (lots of other countries I see more often) and “purple” is not a color used very often either. The tag related that this tomato would have outstanding and sweet flavor, yield 8 to 16 oz. fruits, and was listed as a slicer tomato.
I found the plant to be reasonably vigorous and reasonably productive. The fruits have a nice shape and develop into a beautiful deep red. I can see why “purple” in the deepening hues, although I keep thinking that it is more accurately a deep red with some blue undertones. I did not get super large fruits, but 8 ounce fruits were forthcoming.
Chinese Purple Tomato Homage to Fried Rice
I had some of these beautiful tomatoes on hand yesterday, when I had the urge to eat fried rice. I selected my largest slicer and decided to enhance my regular fried rice with this special tomato. Read the rest of this entry »
Grow Tomatoes Review: Vintage Wine Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato
Ripe Vintage Wine Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato in DoT's Hand 14 July 2009
DoT’s Thot: What’s in a name? It appears that this tomato was well-named. I bought it because Vintage Wine Beefsteak had a nice ring to it; my friends can remember this tomato by name, and it performed well.
Vintage Wine Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Has Performed Well in 2009
This tomato has produced many fruits and yields very pretty, truly striped tomatoes. When I gave some tomatoes away, I had very positive feedback.
I did have to net the tomatoes in July, because the birds realized what a great find the tomato rows were. I also had some critter attacks on ripening fruit — we have lots of trees in our city and I have seen an occasional coyote, a raccoon, and several opossums. My neighbor’s dog had a run-in with a skunk, though I never saw it; I did smell it. Of course, we battle gophers and an occasional ground squirrel.
Vintage Wine Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Plant with Green Tomatoes - 13 June 2009
Vintage Wine Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Ripening on the Vine 25 June 2009
Description of Vintage Wine Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Plant
This is a potato leaf indeterminate (I) tomatoplant recently introduced. It is a bicolor tomato which was listed as 85 days to maturity. It is considered somewhat rare, because of the unique striping of the fruit. Bought in early March, the plants (only variety that got duplicated) were in the ground no more than 2 weeks later. By mid-June there were many green tomatoes on the plants. By the end of June we were eating ripe tomatoes.
The plants produced an abundance of succulent tomatoes throughout July. So far, we have harvested at least 25 pounds of Vintage Wine heirloom tomatoes. Read the rest of this entry »
Grow Tomatoes Review: My Mortgage Lifter Beefsteak Heirloom Experience in 2009
Mortgage Lifter Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Slices
Mortgage Lifter Plant is Green and Vigorous June 13, 2009
The Mortgage Lifter Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Story Summary
Few tomatoes have such a wonderful story as Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Beefsteak Tomato. I had heard a vague reference to the story about “Radiator” Charlie, but was delighted to find more details on posts on the internet. It is a great depression era story and I have to admit to wanting to plant this heirloom tomato because of its name. If you are intrigued by the name, take the time to visit the referenced site and enjoy it.
MC Byles worked for seven years to develop this strain of tomato back in the depression days and sold the seeds to pay down his mortgage. He bred 5 tomatoes until he was satisfied with the stable strain that became “Mortgage Lifter”. It was not a fluke, but a good idea persistently pursued and a keen sense of business that gave us this beloved tomato to grow.
Mortgage Lifter Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Flowers 13 June 2009
My Experience in Growing Mortgage Lifter Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato in 2009
This year, the tomato plant went in late in March and following the excellent advice of old-time tomato growers at the Fullerton Arboretum who volunteered at the tomato sale we stripped off most of the early growth and buried 80% of the Mortgage Lifter beefsteak tomato plant. It grew lustily and into a hefty vine, supported by 2 tomato cages and a number of bamboo stakes. What I have not understood is why that one particular tomato plant has not fruited well.
