Attack of the Killer Tomatoes..or so it seemed at the time

The older I get the more I look back on my childhood with fond memories and a longing to go back to them. There is however one memory that I do not wish to relive and try not to remember it all that often either. It is the single reason it took me until my early twenties to eat a tomato. I will, for the sake of this educational blog, recount this life changing event. My family has deep roots in southern New Jersey. As a child I would spend at least a week or two visiting my great grandmother during the summer months. It was during one such trip that I wandered into a neighbors yard and got lost in their tomato patch. I must have been 5 or 6 at the time, so imagine how much this simple tomato garden seemed jungle like to me. I'm sure the experience lasted no longer than 5 minutes, but it felt like so much longer as I listened to my parents calling out for me "Carrie where are you?", "Carrie you were specifically told not to go out of this yard", "Carrie get back here this very instant". Oh how I wished I could get back there, but the more I walked the more it felt like I was trapped in a never ending jungle of vines. You must understand that in south Jersey gardens grow like weeds and the tomato plants are larger than anything I've ever seen. Even to this day they amaze me. Eventually I stumbled out into the yard only to be scolded for wandering off and for ruining a very new outfit. The whole experience gave me a new attitude about the tomato.

Today though, I can say that it is one food I've come to love and enjoy. I've successfully grown my own tomatoes, but not as of late. It's just too easy to find locally grown, organic tomatoes of many varieties. This week I hope to tempt your tastebuds and encourage you all to go out and eat some tomatoes. I know I was a bit lazy in my blogging last week, but I've got plenty for you on the subject of tomatoes. Check me out again tomorrow.