A casual walk by the potting shed, I lean over and gather a cluster of Sweet 100’s and pop them in my mouth. Or, Cindy makes a B.E.L.T. for dinner necessitating a quick trot out to the garden for a Cherokee Purple or Sudduth Brandywine. Two slices of thick bread, Bacon, fried Egg, Lettuce and Tomato (B.E.L.T.) delicious. Another night and a Mr. Stripey, some wine, green pepper, onion, a handful of oregano and garlic and a slow simmer for a couple of hours makes a terrific silky sauce for meatballs and pasta.

Yesterday, five gallons of Rutger’s thickly sliced, placed in the dehydrator yielded 10 pint baggies of sun-dried tomatoes for the coming winter (102 degrees today, I did so want to mention winter). And, the past two weekends we have put up 20 pints of tomatoes, Rutgers work best with just enough pulp. We have learned over the years that two people need about 40 pints to get from December to May. We are half-way there!

Cold tomatoes, basil and hot pasta, or… thin slices of an Early Girl with thick slices of mozzarella and basil with lots of crushed garlic makes the best pizza. God love the tomato and the season of that brings them fresh to the plate.

“When your first tomato is ripe, take salt and pepper to the garden. Pluck the fruit from the vine. Cut into quarters, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and pop it, a quarter at a time into your mouth. I shall be listening to your sigh of contentment.” Angelo M. Pellegrini