Until this past May, I'd never heard of a Nebraska Wedding. Weddings in Nebraska, yes. But an edible Nebraska Wedding??? Let's just say that I've got some work do to on the heirloom tomato learning curve.
It happened like this. At the end of one of the Board meetings of the Syracuse Real Food Co-op, Jennifer B started handing out tomato seedlngs to any one interested. I had already gotten a late start on mine and had a few transplants but I thought, one more couldn't hurt. She handed me one of the healthiest little tomato plants I'd seen--nice and green with healthy strong stems. She has a great gro-light thing going. Anyway, I added the Nebraska Wedding to the fold and waited.
When it came time to harden off the tomatoes I began placing them outsisde near where they would be planted--just next to the driveway. One morning in June I kissed my husband goodbye as he left for work and then watched him back out of the driveway--right on to the tomatoes. You could hear my screams from the the other side of town, I'm sure. I yelled "Stop!, Stop!" But he didn't hear me and it was too late. Practically the entire crop was mowed down. But on the advice of a fellow gardener I planted them anyway.
Well, they all did just fine. In fact, this is my best crop of tomatoes ever. And after months of waitng the Nebraska Weddings are finally ripe for the picking--and are they ever worth the wait! These are large orange globes of tender sweetness. I had one as a side dish for dinner the other night--I just sliced it still warm from the sun and sprinkled some grey salt over it. This is truly what summer is all about. Today, I sliced one up and made a grilled cheese sandwich made with some Grafton Village maple cheddar cheese on Pheasant Bread--delicious!
If you think heirloom tomatoes are the prize of summer or want the opportunity to taste a variety of them prepared by one of Syracuse's best chefs, you gotta check out the BC Restaurant Heirloom Tomato Dinner. There are seatings at 6:30 both tonight and tomorrow. Tonight might be full but word has it that there is still room for tomorrow's dinner. At $35 for a multi-course meal, I think its a steal.
This is tomato season so whether you can get to the dinner, grow you own, or get to the farmer's market--do whatever, but get 'em while you can!
So THAT'S what we've been doing wrong - we forgot to back over our tomato plants! (This will be included in next year's garden plans).
I'm up to my ears in fresh salsa - and lovin' it!
Posted by: David | August 15, 2006 at 08:27 PM
Heirlooms are the best - everything is our garden is an heirloom variety: peas, fillet beans, squashes, melons, cucumbers, zucchinis, and tomatoes...
...'tho I have to admit that as to heirloom tomatoes, San Marzanos are the best: a nice, meaty tomato with few seeds that not only tastes wonderful fresh from the garden but makes a terrific canning and salsa tomato.
Posted by: Denise | August 16, 2006 at 07:08 AM
Thank goodness your tomatoes made it! They seem to have flourished; maybe your hubby should run over them every year?
Grilled cheese (any cheese - soy, veggie, or milk) with tomato is one of my all time favorite foods, you just can't beat it :) Thanks for sharing this delicious photograph (which has also inspired me to take a close-up of the heirlooms we picked up from our CSA).
:) Mikaela
Posted by: mikaela | August 16, 2006 at 11:39 AM
Hey...how about a little more advance notice on this tomato dinner next year!?!?
I'm going to be west of Albany tonight through Tuesday and for a menu like this, I would have EASILY driven the two hours or so to the 'Cuse.
Posted by: Lenn | August 17, 2006 at 12:14 PM
good post, i really appreciate it , please do more lot of article
Posted by: Busby SEO Test | January 16, 2009 at 10:35 AM
I grew Nebraska wedding tomatoes 3 years ago and this is a beautiful tomato on the vine. I canned them, and their size was perfect for quart jars. They were delicious all winter long.
Posted by: Cheryl | July 02, 2011 at 09:30 AM