More often than not the chillis we use in cooking are the "ordinary" red ones (like the Cayenne and Ring of Fire ones seen below), but I just like growing the other types for the range of shapes and colours they provide. We probably won't eat any of those black Calico chillis, but it was fun growing them.
Now what about this?
It's a fruit of the beefsteak tomato variety "Larisa", grown from seeds kindly given to me by Eddy Ceyssens in Belgium. It weighed about 250g. Not a perfect specimen I know, but very satisfying nonetheless. The colour is actually much more pink than red, though this doesn't show up so well in my photos.
Here is a view of the underside. Beefsteak tomatoes often have a rough patch at the blossom end.
This is also a "Larisa", but one of a much less regular shape:
Look underneath this one...
Right, so which would you rather have - perfectly round (boring and bland) tomatoes from the supermarket, or tasty tomatoes with character, from the garden?
Here's a photo of tomatoes (albeit under-ripe ones) and chillis together. Salsa, anyone?
Beautiful, indeed. And what a joy to pick them up in one's own garden.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful fruits !
ReplyDeleteBut... Have you been polishing those chillies, Mark ? :-)
Haha! But no, the chillis are naturally glossy.
DeleteI totally agree with you. I've grown some things I didn't even like just so I could see their beautiful fruits. Like eggplant and beets. And that basket with tomatoes is just so lovely with all the different shades.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Mark those first two pictures just fantastic.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend.
All the best Jan
I love that basket of tomatoes photo, Mark! So tempting! I've yet to grow really successful beefsteak tomatoes and am thinking of popping a plastic greenhouse over a couple of plants next year. The flavour of home grown, especially if munched when walking round the garden, beats shop bought every time. I'm especially partial to nibbling on Yellow Pear tomatoes - and I've never seen those in the shops! What will you do with the black chillies? Do you string them for christmas decorations?
ReplyDeleteI probably won't use the black chillis, since I will have plenty of red ones, but I have in the past made Christmas tree decorations with chillis (red ones though). I have seen the Yellow Pear tomatoes on sale sometimes, but usually in a mixed punnet of cherry-sized tomatoes. Sometimes the supermarkets round here do a "Pick and Mix" arrangement.
DeleteTalking of chillis my son-in-laws mother often eats two raw scotch bonnet chillis with her dinner she tells me it is good for her arthritis
ReplyDeleteI'll take tasty with character over shop bought any day.
ReplyDeleteI find perfectly round tomatoes rather boring. Some of our grocery stores do stock locally grown heirloom tomatoes in late summer and, judging by the price which is 3x that of regular tomatoes, I don't think I'm the only one that appreciates them! My favourite tomato in the looks department is Costoluto Genovese, which is described as a fluted tomato. They are so gorgeous that it's hard to keep my eyes off them when I have some in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteA very nice haul!
ReplyDeleteTasty and with character every time.
ReplyDelete