Today is the day that I dread every summer...I know it will come because it does every year but it's always a little heart wrenching. Every morning I go outside to check on the tomato plants. If the leaves are drooping in the morning it means they need water. If they look perky and upright before 10 am I know not to turn on the hose - no matter how they may look in the afternoon! This morning the plants looked great. They're happy, as I am, that the gray mornings seem to be a thing of the past. As I reached into a Sungold Cherry to take my first bite of the day I noticed something on the ground. It looked like bunches of small black beads. If you're a needlepointer, as I am, you know exactly how it looked. After all these years I know that this can only mean one thing...that the dreaded Hornworm has arrived in my garden. Sure enough, I found the stem that had once been lush with leaves completely bare. That was all the confirmation I needed and so the search began. It took some time but the small green worm that so perfectly matched the color of the leaves was discovered and done away with.

Tonight I sampled three tomatoes - Persimmon, Black Krim, and Copia. Copia is multi colored, more spotty than a smooth blending of colors. I expected this tomato to have a smooth flavor but was really quite surprised. It's not overly acidic but there's definitely a tartness when you first take a bite. The flavor mellows in your mouth but the seed sacs are quite watery so I didn't love this one. Black Krim, which I tried and didn't like last week, remains the same. I guess it could be good in salsa but it's a huge plant with small tomatoes that become over ripe way too quickly. As far as I'm concerned it's a waste of prime garden real estate. By now you've probably guessed that Persimmon is today's favorite. Persimmon is a beautiful, large, orange, smooth-skinned tomato - it's really quite attractive. They hold their shape and firmness well. Inside, the meat is solid and dense and you get a lot of flavor with not too much seed. There's enough acid to know you're eating a tomato and just the right amount of sugar to make it delicious. It's a perfect balance of flavor.

As promised, a photo of yesterday's favorite - Orange Strawberry.
Today's winner?? You'll have to wait...

Wow! I must have been in the mood for a challenge...today I decided to choose between some really great tomatoes. There are so many that I love for different reasons. Some are better in salads, some make better soup. Some are just better for plucking off the plant and popping into your mouth. And some are big and juicy and taking a bite of them is a drippy, messy, wonderful pleasure! I just couldn't help myself...I went out back and picked Chocolate Stripes, Orange Strawberry, Old German and Dona.

A few days ago when I sampled Old German I found it to be somewhat disappointing. But I had a feeling it was my fault - I didn't pick it at it's prime. Today's Old German did not disappoint. Like the Pineapple, it's another incredibly beautiful bi colored tomato. The meat is as colorful as the skin. When you first take a bite there's a kind of wow factor! It's not tart but there's a little tang just before the smooth mellow flavor takes over.It was good! Orange Strawberry looks just like it's name suggests. I'll post a photo of this adorable and aptly named fruit tomorrow. It has a strong flavor - it really packs a punch. But it didn't overwhelm and for a strong flavored tomato I really liked it. I have been told in the past that Dona is a really wonderful tomato. I'll have to take somebody else's word for it. The one I picked wasn't great. It was like a little red baseball, but to be fair, I think it was over done. Strangely, the other tomatoes on this plant are still green. It's one of the plants I put in rather late. This fruit was dark red but hard as a rock. Great catfaced markings, though. I'll try these again when the rest of them ripen. Lastly, I sampled Chocolate Stripes. It's a bold looking tomato, orangey red with green stripes. It's as striking to look at as it is to eat. The flavor is solid. It's not mellow but it's somewhat subtle. The intense flavor kind of sneaks up on you.

Naming a favorite today is not easy. But since I get to name a different one as my favorite tomorrow it will be easier to choose. Old German would be a predictable choice. It's similar to Pineapple, my all-time favorite. I am most fond of mellow tomatoes. Dona will have to wait for it's day of glory. Today isn't it. I seem to recall naming Chocolate Stripes my favorite about a week ago, so for today, it has to be Orange Strawberry!