I remember the first time I ate an heirloom tomato. It was a few years ago. A group of us went out to lunch after quilt guild. There was an heirloom tomato salad on the menu. To be honest, I'm not a big vegetable eater, but I decided to give it a try. Wow! It was unbelievably delicious. My all knowing friends told me about a produce stand where I could buy them.
I stopped on the way home and bought a couple to bring home. Two tomatoes cost me over $5.00, but I knew it was worth it. My husband was skeptical and thought that I had gotten ripped off, until he tasted one, We became converts. Our favorite variety is Brandywine.
This week we made our annual trek to Lancaster to stock up on tomatoes. I'm sure we will go again, but this time it was for lots of tomatoes to cook and save for the winter. My husband just loves to cook. He'll make sauce and roasted tomatoes for future meals. This was his best purchase:
I don't know if you can see the price written on the box in the upper right corner. It says $3.00. Yes, $3.00 for a box full of plum tomatoes. We didn't weigh the box, but it was heavy, really heavy, probably about 30 lbs. I know where my husband will be for the next few days.
I love driving around Lancaster County this time of year. Tomatoes are abundant and there are produce stands everywhere. They come in all shapes and sizes. Many of them work on the honor system for paying.
Another thing I love when driving around are all the hand made signs for selling the produce.
Vegetable folk art?
I even managed to stop and buy some fabric.
Yes, this is fabric!
I'm not really sure what I will make with these fabrics, but you can tell I was in the tomato mood.
And of course we had to buy tomatoes to eat right away.
Brandywine tomato bruschetta was the star of our dinner. Yum.
So my WW is a tribute to summer trips to Lancaster County and all those beautiful and tasty tomatoes and those great signs made to sell them.
I could become a vegetarian.
They can eat cake. Right?
Brandywines are growing in my veg garden as I write...so yummy! We visited Lancaster some years ago. Delightful area. I would love to go back.
ReplyDeleteMy stomach is growling! Yum!!!
ReplyDeleteI love all the signs. Yes, you could be vegetarian and eat cake :)
The tomatoes look very good, mine are coming in too.
ReplyDeleteThe signs are great! Martin's Produce is my favorite.....those Amish don't waste anything!
Where did you get the box of tomatoes? Is Don canning them or freezing them?
THe pics of the produce stands are wonderful. You've inspired me! I drive around the Wisconsin coutnryside regularly, and stands have popped up all over. I'll have to take my camera next time. Your little tomato quilt is darling, too.
ReplyDeleteIf you have lot of your tomato fabric (at least 26 inches) you could make a pillowcase. That's what I do with fabric I love but can't put it in a quilt.
Have fun!
I love fresh, only time I really eat things like that. I loved the food when we went down there, loved the noodles and the fresh meat we got at a farm, can't beat it.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
The summer I was in Lancaster and found shelled peas for $3.00 a pound was better than candy, even chocolate.
ReplyDeleteI love the photos of the produce stands! Finding a produce stand in our area is very rare, and the produce in your pictures looks so delicious! Yummy stuff!
ReplyDeleteI just had a Brandywine Heirloom for dinner tonight that my brother grew. It was yummy! He gave me a plant but the squirrels ate all the tomatoes on it. Now I have chilli powder sprinkled on the Better Boys that I have left. Hope it works. Even the squirrels knew that the Brandywines taste the best. Like your block and photos too. Thanks for the tour.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I am starved! It has been awhile since I last visited Lancaster. I remember the red barn and how much all the veggies tasted. I still can taste. This month my brother will be in Fort Hood and will visit him before he heads out overseas again. Hope to visit him back home in Lancaster when he gets back. Judith, Texas
ReplyDeleteOnce again, you bring back the memories for me!! When we had our little farm in VA, we had a half-acre produce patch, and boy, did it ever produce! Whatever I couldn't use, freeze or can was taken to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Never was allowed to sell any of the tomatoes tho..and nuthin' beats opening a jar of tomatoes in January, with snow on the ground, and smelling August. Yup, seems the whole crop would always come in, starting the first week of August. If I wasn't out in the garden, I was working in the kitchen, putting everything up.
ReplyDeleteOne year we put in 75 plants - don't ask me why!! It took us about 2 years to get through that year's crop!! Thanks for sharing your block & those charming signs with us!