Stupice, Tye-Dye, Mortgage Lifter, oh my!

You say tomato.

Good news. So does my co-blogger Linda Crago.

But even if you say tomahto, fear not. Everyone is welcome to come to Linda's farm on Sunday, Aug. 22 to say Stupice, Burpee's Tye-Dye or Mortgage Lifter and then partake in tasting them, along with some of the other 700 varieties of heirloom tomatoes she grows. They put hot house, vine and pedestrian plum to shame.

Some of Linda's tomatoes that I recently got in a veggie basket from her.
Linda is hosting Tree and Twig Tomato Time and Tour, an event geared toward tomato fans and the curious when it comes to the vegetable that's really a fruit and the apple of Linda's eye. The event, which starts at 1 p.m., features a stroll through her market garden, where visitors will be introduced to all kinds of unusual but tasty vegetables that make a grocery store produce section seem kind of boring.

"I'm doing this so folks can try a few different things and understand there are many things out there to experiment with," Linda told me in an email. "I hope people will think more about heirlooms and what they grow in their gardens ? maybe even think about supporting small growers."

I have no idea what kind of tomato this
is, only that I love its gnarly, multi-coloured
appearance. I learned early after
meeting Linda that these are some of the
juiciest, tastiest tomatoes ever. To help hit the point home, Linda will be providing samples of tomatoes for people to taste after the garden stroll. Four years ago, I attended one of Linda's tomato tastings at Fielding Estate Winery. I remember her walking a tomato novice me around a table of dozens of plates of diced tomatoes with unusual names, shapes and colours, giving me a run down of how they go down on the palette. It was amazing to experience all the differences in taste ? some were sweet and juicy, others tart and some were even a little spicy. Like an oenophile can decipher all the tastes and feelings in the mouth evoked by a glass of wine, Linda can pick out the finer points of a tomato.

"I like tomatoes because of the huge variations in appearance, taste," she said. "I just like tomatoes, but only good tomatoes."

This guy with his ruffles and green shoulders is a beauty.After the tasting, tomato-types can get a few pointers from chef Mark Picone on what to do in the kitchen from. Picone is a culinary mastermind that we are very lucky to have here in Niagara. His tomato-themed dishes will be washed down with glass or two of vino.

Admission is $20 (though Linda is still doing the math and it may wind up being less than that) and kids get in free. Her Tree and Twig farm is located at 84039 Regional Road 45 in Wellandport.

Drop her an email and let her know you're coming: treeandtwig@sympatico.ca or call 905-386-7388.