July / August 2007

Antiques & Heirlooms Lemon Cucumbers Drought & Flood Sweetpea Questionnaire Herb Conference Local Garden Clubs Opportunities Books Herbs Dining In Resources Bits & Pieces Editor’s Gleanings Gardening with Kids Notes from the Brazos Beck on Nature (greyed articles available in printed version - subscribe now!)

Gleanings Every year about this time I start raving about tomatoes. This year is no different. I’m trying a bunch of different heirloom varieties this year and they are doing themselves proud. I have piles on tomatoes on the table waiting for someone to wander buy and take a bite or for me to do something creative with them. My husband’s favorite is fresh tomato with pasta - tomato, mozzarella, basil, onion, garlic and a spritz of olive oil and vinegar poured over hot pasta. That’s his idea of heaven, and I like it a lot too. Not only is it good, but it uses up a lot of tomatoes. My favorite is just plain old sliced tomatoes. I can just sit there and eat them until the plate is empty. They are good with anything and any meal and all by themselves. Usually the first ripe tomatoes goes into a bacon and tomato sandwich for breakfast. After that, they just go on anything — sandwiches, salads of course, along side other fresh veggies from the garden or the farmer’s market. There truly is “nothin’ in the world like homegrown tomatoes!” I got an email the other day signed “In tomato heaven, Christina” so it isn’t just me wallowing in this wonder of nature. I find myself planning my meals around tomatoes. Of course there is squash, green beans, cucumbers, even potatoes and beets and I love them all. But I love them like friends or brothers or sisters. For tomatoes I reserve the real passion - “the only two things that money can’t buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes!!”