Yes, it was an epic day. Where we picked four tomatoes from our vines about a month ago, we hadn't had another to pick since until yesterday. Those first were the tiny already-set fruit that came on the rather well-developed starts I bought. This was the first of those that budded out once I planted my vines.
And it was really only marginally ripe, but I couldn't wait any longer. The variety is purple cherokee, so it was a large tomato I could cut in half and then slice vertically to make little shingled rosette shapes in the middle of a white dinner plate and top with a hot, crispy fried patty of chevre and drizzle with a fresh mint vinaigrette. We welcomed that tomato to our table in style.
But jeesh: September Eleventh? A new record for a bad tomato summer that I'll likely not forget. Must be unthinkable for those of you who have been harvesting since July.
