Good Eats
Did a picking tonight:
Got an heirloom the size of a softball that should be ready in two days and I’m really excited about that one.
BTW- that new series Rubicon starts this Sunday.
July 29, 2010 7:09 pm
Posted in: Black Thumb
72 Comments
72 Responses
Allen - July 29, 2010 | 7:17 pm · Link
The main TV Guide critic—and I generally find him trustworthy—didn’t care for Rubicon. His main complaint is that nothing happens.
Violet - July 29, 2010 | 7:22 pm · Link
Oooh…gorgeous! I’m going to the garden center tomorrow to pick up seedlings for fall tomatoes. Can’t wait.
sputnikgayle - July 29, 2010 | 7:28 pm · Link
So many tomatoes, so little time. I took 2 bushels of them and almost a bushel of okra from our big garden to my husband’s two doctors appointments today. The staffers just went nuts and I had to be honest and tell them I was not being entirely altruistic. I brought them so I could get a brief respite from all the canning and freezing. But it also felt good to know the city folk would be enjoying real veggies.
jeffreyw - July 29, 2010 | 7:29 pm · Link
Ketchup
goposaur - July 29, 2010 | 7:30 pm · Link
o/t but here’s a possible solution to your starcraft II problem
http://gizmodo.com/5599785/wha.....arcraft-ii
lamh32 - July 29, 2010 | 7:31 pm · Link
I just came home from seeing Salt. Don’t believe the hype. The action was pretty damn good. Angelina Jolie does action like no other. She just throws that skinny body around like nobody’s business.
Still, the plot was so predictable to me. I wasn’t surprised by any of the “plot twist”.
Still, the action was good enough for me to give the movie a thumbs up.
My advice, if you wanna some real plot twist along with ur action, see “Inception”. If you want some mindless action without the hassle of having to think go see “Salt”
BethanyAnne - July 29, 2010 | 7:41 pm · Link
I planted my tomatoes too late for Texas – so no homegrown from this season. I did find a neat recipe for banana “ice cream” made by just blending frozen bananas. It’s here. Looks pretty yummy.
Keith - July 29, 2010 | 7:50 pm · Link
Please stop with the tomato pix! I just recently had to remove them from my diet due to a medical issue, and staring at those heirlooms is giving me a SERIOUS craving for caprese.
CynDee - July 29, 2010 | 7:50 pm · Link
@jeffreyw:
Mmmm.
@ John Cole: My favority tomato is Lily, my favorite pepper is Rosie, and my favorite turnip is Tunch. We can haz pictures? Plz? Tnx.
Kristine - July 29, 2010 | 7:51 pm · Link
::tomato envy:: One of my Romas is finally starting to redden. All the others remain stubbornly green.
QuaintIrene - July 29, 2010 | 7:51 pm · Link
Curse you, Cole, and your fancy love apples!
Chat Noir - July 29, 2010 | 7:54 pm · Link
Here in Michigan, we have tons of green tomatoes but nothing near being red. August is usually the height of tomato season so fingers crossed that ours ripen nicely like John Cole’s.
Plan on watching “Rubicon” on Sunday. I liked James Badge Dale in “The Pacific.” And “Mad Men” is still the best.
@jeffreyw: Mmm…french fries with homemade ketchup.
ellaesther - July 29, 2010 | 7:54 pm · Link
As this appears to be an actual Open Thread (unlike Anne Laurie’s, which was actually a discussion about Newt Gingrich). (Not that I’m complaining, as it was very interesting!) (But still: Truth in labeling!) I thought I might share the following –
Things you can’t put on your resume
I have many mad and/or dope skillz which are sadly useless in my search for meaningful employ, and I thought that I’m likely not the only one! (The skillz may be sick, actually, rather than mad or dope. I can’t really judge, as they’re my own).
bago - July 29, 2010 | 7:54 pm · Link
Yeah, I read wonkette too.
Violet - July 29, 2010 | 7:54 pm · Link
@BethanyAnne:
If your plants are okay (bugs aren’t too bad, no blight, etc.) you might consider leaving them in to see if you get fall tomatoes. You can replant now, but you have to watch the seedlings really carefully to make sure they don’t get scorched in the heat. Established plants have an advantage in that regard with their stronger root systems. Sometimes you can get a second crop out of spring tomatoes. You’re most likely to have success with cherry tomatoes, I’ve found.
Your plants need to be in a good, sunny spot to get good fall tomatoes. Areas that got good summer sun don’t always get good fall sun as the sun is lower in the sky and shadows cover more.
Jebediah - July 29, 2010 | 7:57 pm · Link
Crappy day, week, month, etc. May i request more pet pics today/tonght?
Thank you.
ellaesther - July 29, 2010 | 7:58 pm · Link
@QuaintIrene: ...love… apples?
That just doesn’t sound like a vegetable that should be eaten in polite company.
Glenn Beck's Chalkboard - July 29, 2010 | 7:58 pm · Link
Set out another place for dinner. I’m on my way now.
ellaesther - July 29, 2010 | 7:59 pm · Link
@Chat Noir: Ooh, ooh, green tomatoes! I just finally got someone to explain to me how they make their fried green tomatoes so good! I’m very excited to try it this weekend. Hopefully, the farmer’s market will serve me well.
BethanyAnne - July 29, 2010 | 8:00 pm · Link
@Violet: I appreciate the advice. :) Unfortunately, I ripped them out of the pots and threw the plants away last week. d’oh! And I live in an apartment complex, so I’m sort of limited as to where I can put my ginormous tomato-plant pots. Pretty much limited to in front of my patio. Like I said, tho, I do appreciate the help. :)
MattR - July 29, 2010 | 8:03 pm · Link
@Jebediah: They are old, but they are the only Ellie pics I have handy.
chopper - July 29, 2010 | 8:03 pm · Link
makin’ hot sauce from some garden stuff tonight.
tomato-basil-mozz with fresh brandywines is some shit too.
QuaintIrene - July 29, 2010 | 8:05 pm · Link
@ellaesther:
love apples= pomodora (Italian-o)
lamh32 - July 29, 2010 | 8:05 pm · Link
This is just heartbreaking, yet heartwarming at the same time.
‘I’m standing right here’
With a hug, a crime victim speaks
Violet - July 29, 2010 | 8:06 pm · Link
@BethanyAnne:
No problem. You’re probably better off with new tomato plants anyway. They have less chance of bugs and blight. So long as you think you’ll get good sun in August-October, and you can stay on top of watering them, you’ll be fine with replanting now.
CynDee - July 29, 2010 | 8:11 pm · Link
@ellaesther:
Those are all useful and worthwhile. They’re stupid if they don’t hire you.
Share, share?
Chat Noir - July 29, 2010 | 8:12 pm · Link
@chopper:
Yes! We had that last Sunday afternoon. We have three basil plants that are going crazy. Tons of awesome pesto, too.
@ellaesther: Never had fried green tomatoes but they just don’t sound appealing to me.
MattR - July 29, 2010 | 8:15 pm · Link
@lamh32: At the risk of sounding like a complete partisan douchebag, you just know that if President Bush had ever tried that he would have ended up giving a hug that made her more uncomfortable (ala Andrea Merkel)
Comrade Mary - July 29, 2010 | 8:20 pm · Link
I’ve gotten a couple of red beefsteaks that were pretty good, a red Carolina that was sweet but a little flat, and a golden Carolina that was really disappointing. But I have another golden tomato and a bunch of beefsteaks coming ripe in the next day or so. Pretty good for a tiny garden in Toronto that gets maybe 3 hours of direct sun a day. And it’s not even August yet.
But I want heirlooms! Tomato experts: if I buy some lovely ‘maters for eating, how can I save the seeds for planting next year? Just let them dry and store them in a dark place for the winter?
jharp - July 29, 2010 | 8:22 pm · Link
Also picked today in central Indiana.
Wow. Holy shit. Monsters. What a great year it is.
Breezeblock - July 29, 2010 | 8:23 pm · Link
If you persist on posting those gloating pictures, I may be left with no choice.
My tomatoes are being attacked by a critter, my zucchini are not out of puberty, and … I’M PISSED!
lamh32 - July 29, 2010 | 8:25 pm · Link
@MattR:
Bush woulda nevah touched the woman. He probably just tap her shoulder, then get SS to give him some hand sanitizer.
jharp - July 29, 2010 | 8:25 pm · Link
@Chat Noir:
Fried green tomatoes are great.
And to me cottage cheese is the best. Better than mozz. And 1/4 of the cost.
And feta is pretty awesome as well.
Ruckus - July 29, 2010 | 8:26 pm · Link
@MattR:
Any hug by that douche bag makes me very uncomfortable. And that’s just watching it happen.
Mnemosyne - July 29, 2010 | 8:27 pm · Link
Dang, I want the new Kindle, but it doesn’t ship before my trip to Chicago in two weeks. Phooey.
Also, in bad news, one of my co-workers had to put her cat to sleep yesterday. I did have WereBear’s great website to refer her to, at least—should have done it sooner but never got around to it until today.
MattR - July 29, 2010 | 8:34 pm · Link
@lamh32: Good point. But if she was white…
debit - July 29, 2010 | 8:35 pm · Link
The ASPCA commercials are blatantly emotionally manipulative. Despite knowing this, they utterly destroy me every time.
lamh32 - July 29, 2010 | 8:36 pm · Link
I missed Obama on “The View”, but from this review, I hear he did pretty good.
Review: Obama on ‘The View’
BTW, one thing I don’t agree with Michelle Cottle about is that Obama saying he wanted to
I’m a woman, and I consider myself above average intelligence-wise (if I do say so myself, which I do), the nature of my job requires it and most of my friends are the same. I’m single, but many of them are housewives and they don’t watch “hard news” much either. When we come home from work, we like to “chillax” and “hard news” shows don’t really allow that. I don’t know how anyone can watch Fox News, without developing some kinda tick.
Anyway, I haven’t watched the whole vid, but for those who did, how was it?
Betsy - July 29, 2010 | 8:44 pm · Link
@debit:
OMG, me too. I actually cannot watch them – I turn the sound off and leave the room.
debit - July 29, 2010 | 8:45 pm · Link
Also, damn you and your ripe tomatoes. I’m still waiting on mine.
debit - July 29, 2010 | 8:49 pm · Link
@Betsy: Youk now the worst one? It’s a few years old, where they show dogs in the kennels and the voice over, voicing the animals’ thoughts, lists all the bad things they didn’t do, and how they don’t know why they are there, but, “I know I am a good dog and I just want to go home.” I sob just thinking about it. Gotta go hug my dog now.
Jebediah - July 29, 2010 | 8:51 pm · Link
@MattR:
Sweet pix – thank you! I do feel a little better now…
Mnemosyne - July 29, 2010 | 8:52 pm · Link
@debit:
G actually has to pause the Tivo and fast forward through them while reminding himself that we have rescue cats, we did our part.
He’s a great big softy sometimes. :-)
Jebediah - July 29, 2010 | 8:53 pm · Link
@Betsy:
Likewise. Even after the millionth time.
frosty - July 29, 2010 | 8:53 pm · Link
@Kristine: Funny, mine are exactly the same. I picked one red one the size of John’s “Black Thumb” (grr, envy envy envy). The rest are sitting there green, mocking me.
The Roma took over half my tomato patch. I’m thinking of renaming the Beefsteak to Beefwimp.
ellaesther - July 29, 2010 | 8:55 pm · Link
@CynDee:
Here’s what I’ve been told:
Mix equal parts cornmeal and flour in a bowl (about 1/2 of each. This is a homecooking recipe, not a cookbook recipe, so I don’t measure) with salt and black pepper.
For the tomatoes: Slice them 1/2 inch thick, dip each slice in milk, then dredge in flour. Fry until golden (about 2 minutes on each side).
Frying: cast iron skillet, a cup of vegetable oil, heat on medium high until slightly bubbling, then put in the ‘maters. Drain on paper towels and eat right away.
@Chat Noir: You soooooo don’t know what you’re missing. In the argot of our day: Nom nom nom!
ellaesther - July 29, 2010 | 9:00 pm · Link
@CynDee: Oh and PS - thank you! Not sure how being able to accurately measure salt in my hand correlates with the ability to divine the quality of a movie entirely from the trailer, but if you can find me the job, I’ll take it.
Svensker - July 29, 2010 | 9:01 pm · Link
@Comrade Mary:
They work best if you ferment them (guess that mimics the rotting tomato thing that happens naturally). Here’s a link to a how to—it sounds complicated but it’s not really. Just a bit stinky.
Mnemosyne - July 29, 2010 | 9:02 pm · Link
In fact, here’s G the day he found the future Charlotte in a parking lot. Note the wee back foot stuck in his shirt pocket.
He didn’t get a lot done at his office that day. Good thing the visiting VP of sales turned out to be a huge cat lover.
Svensker - July 29, 2010 | 9:06 pm · Link
@jharp:
Muzz is absolutely sublime if it is a just a few hours old, still warm (never refrigerated!) and still dripping with juice—the warmth and feel is like warm succulent ripe breasts or buttocks. Seriously. The most sensuous and wonderful cheese in the world—soft, yielding, juicy… God. Um, excuse me. Wut? Oh. However, wait 4 more hours or stick the muzz in the reefer and it becomes booooooring, dull, dry and lifeless, good only for melting. Used to live next to an Italian deli that made fresh muzz every few hours—it was unbelievable. Sigh.
debit - July 29, 2010 | 9:06 pm · Link
@Mnemosyne: Oh, what a sweetie. G is a good guy.
kommrade reproductive vigor - July 29, 2010 | 9:07 pm · Link
We couldn’t grow them this year because the ground has gotten sour. Which means no fried green tomatoes, which means none of the S.O.’s famous salsa, which means, fuck you Cole.
Elizabelle - July 29, 2010 | 9:15 pm · Link
We got our first box of small farm produce this week.
Included a pound of zucchini. Surprise, surprise. Likely this week and next week and next week and …
How can I prepare zucchini, the beige of vegetables, so it is tasty and appetizing?
Plus, my housemate does not like added fats (even olive oil, ouch). I am fine with them, if recipe needs.
I love zucchini bread—any good recipes for that?
Comrade Mary - July 29, 2010 | 9:19 pm · Link
@Svensker: Ah! Drunken tomato seeds for the win! Thanks!
MikeJ - July 29, 2010 | 9:23 pm · Link
@Elizabelle: Grr. FYWP.
Fritters.
Salad.
Hope the repost works.
jeffreyw - July 29, 2010 | 9:24 pm · Link
@Elizabelle:
http://whats4dinnersolutions.w.....ini-bread/
jharp - July 29, 2010 | 9:26 pm · Link
@Svensker:
Noted.
Keep it out of the refrigerator.
Makes sense to me. I’ll do it. Thanks.
WereBear - July 29, 2010 | 9:29 pm · Link
@lamh32: Ah, geez. I needed that.
He’s not faking the compasion. And it’s there. So there you are.
Ducktape - July 29, 2010 | 9:30 pm · Link
Last year, I posted for my community my recipe for Gazpacho, complete with step-by-step pictures. I make it in a gallon container each week from heirloom tomatoes and keep it in my refrigerator door. For an hour of chopping once a week, I get the wonderful cold soup that I dream about all winter long.
Seriously—I can’t think of anything with heirloom tomatoes that better shows off their uniquely-wonderful flavor.
WereBear - July 29, 2010 | 9:31 pm · Link
@Mnemosyne: Thanks. Glad I could help. The comments for those entries are building up in to a real wailing wall; and cat memorial area.
Makes me feel glad I can do that much.
AND…OGM. Charlotte. Wut a cutie!
Jane2 - July 29, 2010 | 9:31 pm · Link
@lamh32: Thank you for posting this…it goes completely under the radar of the usual cable news headlines, but is an actual policy move that will make a real difference.
lamh32 - July 29, 2010 | 9:32 pm · Link
As an unmarried woman myself, the daughter of a single mother, and sister of single mother all of whom voted for and will continue to vote for Obama, excuse my french, but:
F’&* u old lady:
Dems Call On GOPers To Renounce Phyllis Schlafly Over Remarks About ‘Unmarried Women’ (AUDIO)
jeffreyw - July 29, 2010 | 9:56 pm · Link
Thread needs more kittehs.
Toby
Bea
debit - July 29, 2010 | 10:00 pm · Link
@jeffreyw: Both of them are attractive cats, but that pic of Bea is stunning. Seriously beautiful.
Anne Laurie - July 29, 2010 | 10:03 pm · Link
@Comrade Mary:
The people at Dave’s Garden tell me it’s a little more complicated than that.
I did save some seeds using this method last year, but I didn’t solve the ‘two sunny windows, three cats’ algorithm so that I could actually try starting them this spring, unfortunately. But if you’re more organized than I am, it’s not a hard process to replicate…
jeffreyw - July 29, 2010 | 10:05 pm · Link
@debit: Bea sez thanks!
kommrade reproductive vigor - July 29, 2010 | 10:48 pm · Link
@lamh32: A beautiful example of fReichtard crapthink: An unmarried woman equates unmarried women with women who were married and kicked their husbands out (just for the hell of it, one assumes) and a bunch of assholes applaud.
Good old Phil. I wonder if she still carts that apple pie around.
hamletta - July 29, 2010 | 10:51 pm · Link
@Ducktape: You posted the recipe for your “community”?
What are we, chopped liver?
Gazpacho recipe! We wants it!
Zuzu's Petals - July 29, 2010 | 11:28 pm · Link
@debit:
Yep, it only took one to get me signed up for my $18/mo.
Elizabelle - July 30, 2010 | 2:32 am · Link
@MikeJ:
Mike J and JeffreyW: thank you for the zucchini recipes. Some good ideas in there. One woman wondered why zucchini can’t be an alternative fuel source. One or two others mentioned Hitchcock movies.
The fritters and the salad with almonds look like a start.
Elizabelle - July 30, 2010 | 2:33 am · Link
@hamletta:
Agree with Hamletta.
Ducktape: do not Bogart that gazpacho recipe.
Comrade Mary - July 30, 2010 | 7:49 am · Link
@Anne Laurie: Thanks, Anne Laurie!
This is me guffawing. You wold NOT want to look at my house right now, and I achieved the effect without any help from cats, either.
But I’ll give this a try. Now I have an excuse to go out and sample a bunch of hybrids, figure out which I like best (I have room for maybe 5 plants next year, total), and then I can start corrupting the morals of young seeds.