Time for tomatoes

One of the wonderful things about this time of year has got to be ripening tomatoes and this year we have decided to try to grow a number of different varieties and I am excited to say they are just starting to display their beautiful shapes and colours as the sun begins to turn the fruits, and already we are starting to get a rather interesting selection...

From the well known Gardeners Delight, a cherry tomato which everyone knows and loves.

To the other end of the size spectrum, the large Brandy Wine, which are beginning to display a beautiful rosy tinge. 

One of the best tasting heirloom tomatoes, with an incredible rich and intense flavour, with fruits that bulge out of their skin and can grow up to 2 pounds in weight.

Then there are the very unusual coloured varieties, like this Indigo Pear Drop, the purple colour is due to a high anthocyanin content, the naturally occurring antioxidant found in blueberries, now known to be so important for our daily health.

As it ripens the fruits start to turn yellow, resulting in this cocktail pear-shaped tomato becoming a rich golden yellow with purple shoulders.

Then there is the Green Agate a green tomato which develops golden stripes. This medium-sized tomato is luscious and tender which has a tasty thick green flesh which is superb for slicing and salads.

There are those with  beautiful colours but also curious shapes, like the Indigo Rose, which is a true superfood with high levels of vitamins and antioxidants. They are delicious raw, or even better cooked when they take on a smoky barbeque flavour.

And there are those varieties with a mix of the two, the Green Tiger, which has pointed plum shaped fruits, which are yellow-olive streaked with an emerald green skin and flesh. They have a bright, sweet and tangy taste and an excellent addition to any salad.

All in all a rather nice collection and one which is going to increase and just get better and better as the sun continues to shine

We wait and watch for the fruits of Firecracker, Dolcevita and Indigo Kumquat, just to name a few - which I am sure will form a much deserved focus of a future blog.