Topic: No great beauty.............

[tim]

...but since you were not impressed with either my Santa or my Nectar, let's try again??

[Tinkie_Bear]

That is one massive tomato, how much does it weigh and what variety is it?

[tim]

Trompe l'Oeil, actually - only 12 oz - now you ask!!  But it's early yet.

 But that would have cost 90p in Tesco.

Oh, sorry, Mortgage Lifter.

[MrsKP]

as the fabulous Russel Brand would say "Bawbags, the swines".

 :P

(sorry for going right of on a tangent there).

 ;D

[Simon05]

thats a tasty looking tomato, it would make some nice sandwiches, or just eat it on its own,  :P

[flossie]

I'm impressed with all  your toms Tim and am longing for the day when we are eating our own, looks like it will be a few weeks yet :(

[valmarg]

At 12oz your tomato is quite a tiddler!!  We have grown them at 1lb 12oz+.
valmarg

[supersprout]

...but since you were not impressed with either my Santa or my Nectar, let's try again??

LOL tim, well impressed, what was the sowing date?

[tim]

Mid-Feb, Sprouty.

Yes, valmarg - things of beauty!! But we find that when you get up to about 1lb;
a. You often have some left over - prefer not.
b. They're very slow to ripen.
c. The trusses break.

Which do you find the best biggies?

[valmarg]

Oh dear tim, I think we must be a bit greedy when it comes to large home grown tomatoes - there's nothing left over!!

We don't seem to have any difficulty with ripening, and the trusses don't seem to break.  Having said that, OH has trawled the net re tomato growing, and it seems it is recommended that Brandywine should be taken off the plant before being fully ripened, otherwise they start to rot.

The best biggie toms we grow are Supersteak (from T&M), Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Costoluto Fiorentino, Black Russian and Ferline.

Also we have a machine for squishing tomatoes into passata, so any leftovers, mis-shapes, over-ripe, very small, etc are not wasted.

valmarg

[tim]

Aha! A machine!

Trying Mortgage Lifter, as you see - Fiorentino was good last year. But only went orange-red?

[valmarg]

Tim-boy, I think what you are saying is that you have good years and bad years of any variety, particularly the beefsteak varieties.

We have the same problem, but when you get a superb specimen of beefsteak tomato - the classic Italian salad of mozzarella cheese, beefsteak tomato and salami, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, plus a chiffonade of basil - HEAVEN!!!

I defy you to say different!!

valmarg

[tim]

Defy away!!

Our only difference, having veggies in the family, is that we use avocs in place of the salami. And, in place of the chiffonade, we whizz a large handful of basil with the dressing.

And this is the dish that No1 Daughter brought home for it.

PS Checking, today, that ML are supposed to be pinkish, as opposed to my reddish one, I noted that they range from "2-4lb"!! Don't think the plate will be big enough - it's only 18" square!!

[tim]

................... but they taste good??

And I have my loaves tailored to fit!!