Tomatoes

 All over the veggie patch little tomato plants have cropped up. A few years ago I was given a couple of tomato plants that produced the small cocktail variety, they were very prolific and produced a lot of tasty tomatoes some of which fell to the ground and seeded themselves, some went into the compost which in turn went back into the ground and with each little seed a plant would grow. I imagine birds and animals helped carry them to (not rabbits though as I dont think they like the tomatoes know their growing). Over the years these tomatoes have changed into tiny ones which pack such a punch they make you mouth feel like its eaten really strong cheese, in small quantities and mixed in with larger toms to make passata they are fine. As you can have too much of little toms and as they grow in the wrong places I have been pulling them missing a few that have grown bush like among the chard and one in amongst the beans.

Going from tiny toms I have also managed to grow some whoppers, some in the veg patch and others that were given as 5cm plants planted in the poly tunnel. As we haven't had that hot normal summer they still are a very green shade. I do hope they change as I don't really like green tomato chutney!

Some have had a bit too much rain I'm guessing here but as I can count on one hand how many times I have had to water the past few months with pear shaped toms splitting to that's what I am putting it down to. At least there are quiet a few different varieties so some should do good - surely?

Smaller ones are going red and yellow and black, not yet being over run by them but enough to start cooking dishes with. The first batch of passata made ready for the freezer roasted with onions, garlic, basil, a little chili, seasoning and a pinch of sugar makes for easy meals for pasta sauces, pizza topping and slow cooked lamb shanks, that's if you remember take a quantity out of the freezer for said meal.

Not tomatoes but looking very much like them small red and yellow pears given by a friend have also been roasted with sugar and Cinnamon to make into a puree for desserts and sorbet. Beware careful labelling is also required or savoury pizza can turn into a sweet one in one defrost of a container!