August in Our Kitchen

Saturday, August 05, 2006
This is how August looks in our apartment. We collect tomatoes a few at a time during the week, and invariably we have a pile that builds up on the kitchen countertop or a section of our table. These beautiful fruits then await their weekend date with a sauce pot.

With the exception of the three tomatoes pictured in the front (an unknown variety that was given to us by our plot neighbor, Albertino), most of what we have here are San Marzanos. They are an ideal type of tomato for making sauce.

For my husband, Michael, tomatoes are the ultimate prize of the garden -- they are his favorite thing to grow. He grew all of the tomatoes this year from seed, nurturing them from the tiniest of seedlings and providing periodic feedings of bone meal and fish emulsion. His efforts have paid off well, and we are now being rewarded with these magnificent fruits.

At some point during this weekend, our apartment will be perfumed with an intensely aromatic combination of garlic, herbs, and these ruby red jewels of the August garden. I can't wait.

7 Comments:

Blogger David (Snappy) said...

they look delicous, need to try growing tomatoes next year..enjoy making them and filling the house with delicous scents.

7:46 PM  
Blogger Stunned Donor said...

Nice tomatoes, mine are just starting to color and I'm making sure I have enough canning jars to handle what looks to be a good crop.

8:45 PM  
Blogger Kalyn Denny said...

I've never tried growing tomatoes by seed. I'm impressed.

7:36 AM  
Blogger Kalyn Denny said...

When I read that comment I realized it isn't clear, so here's what I mean: I always buy tomato plants instead of starting my own seeds. Partly it's laziness, but also I don't have a good sunny window that faces south. Sometimes I even cheat and buy bigger plants that already have blossoms to get earlier tomatoes.

7:38 AM  
Blogger ~~ Melissa said...

I have a similar pile on my kitchen counter. Can't wait to get cooking but we're finally having some good gardening weather after a week of heat wave and storms so it will have to wait a little longer....

PS: Your food-related photos always get me hungry. :-)

8:47 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

They look wonderful. I love coming in from picking tomatoes with that smell from the tomato leaves on my clothes. You did a great job, I must say.

5:40 PM  
Blogger Gattina Cheung said...

Christa,
San Marzanos is my favorite in making sauce... I only buy the cans from Italy though. Yes, I think they're a real jewel!

9:32 PM  

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