Tomatopalooza[tm] V - Event and Pictures

[GManess]

My thanks go out to
.....Fred and Jimmy for being such gracious hosts. What a fantastic setting for a wonderful day.
.....Craig and Lee for pulling everything together for another fantastic outing.
..... To Martha for the wonderful mater ice cream, Craig for the great salsa, and everyone else who prepared food and drinks (who ever fixed the cream cheese dip you were a life saver. After mistaking Craig's "They have a good flavor" in his description of Black Scorpion Tongue pepper and biting into one, the dip was the only dairy product around to help quench the inferno).
......everyone that was able to share your tomatoes.
..... everyone that has shared pictures of the event.
..... everyone I met.
..... everyone who traveled to the event, hopefully all made it home safely.
My son and I enjoyed every aspect of the get together and we are looking forward to Tomatopalooza 2008. Warmest Regards, Gary & Josh Maness

[carolyn137]

Mischka well he was back at the Hotel darn it, but the real Craig showed...I just kept laughing as I had an imagine of what I "thought" he looked like and then the Reality! Handsome, nice and funny guy! With a New York accent!


****

No, no, no New York Accent.

That accent is pure eastern Massachusetts if you haven't heard it before.

[Patrina_Pepperina]

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

So, Jeff - should be a good deal on plane tickets this far in advance!

We just need Lee and Jimmy to work out the date - but July 26 looks pretty good to me!

Same goes for other well-enticed TVillians!

Consider me well enticed - I'm gonna plan to BE there next year, seriously!!

It would have to be basically my last tour stop so I can get back to Australia to start seeds ASAP afterwards, but it would be such a buzz to meet you folks!! 8)

PP

[Lee]

July 26 it is! We'll get on the ball for planning it. Now, I gotta get that list of
tomatoes compiled.....

Lee

[nctomatoman]

Well, Patrina, Grub and others in the SH - you have an exciting challenge coming up during your growing season! Though documentation could have been better (guilty as charged!!!), and the chaos/overwhelm factor great, I can honestly say that my initial taste impressions held - and we can add a few more to the top flavors list. You will have a blast checking some of these for stability - because it is very likely they will all be delicious or nearly so. I think that a few are being overlooked and are probably better or have better potential going forward (the various Zig Zag Wattles - I need to do a side by side with them soon while I still have fruit). Lee claimed that one of Tim's Kangaroo Paws did have a hint of Sungold to it. (hopefully he will remember which one!).

But - to me, and confirmed by many tasting them, the cream of the crop of a really incredible spread (people couldn't believe that the range of colors and sizes came from dwarf plants!)....

Summertime Gold 2 Potato Leaf 1 (my reference number 18 )..
Summertime Green Reg Leaf 2 (my reference number 1) - this was one of the tomatoes of the event! (congrats, Grub!).
Summertime Gold 3 Potato leaf 2 (my reference number 55).
Sleazy B F3 Bruce's Purple RL1 or RL2 (need to confirm with Suze which one blew her away) - (my reference number either 29 or 30).

Many others were excellent - but the first three above, in particular, have great potential.

[Patrina_Pepperina]

Very exciting news Craig! Isn't it fantastic to have such great results so early in the project?

We will do our best, won't we Grub?!

Patrina

[feldon30]

How could I forget the tomato sorbet in my review? It was deelish! Sort of a sweetish lemony sorbet with just enough tomato essence.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

Just tomatoes? Hah!

I know exactly where you are coming from, Craig! It was a very special and meaningful day indeed.

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

Sleazy B F3 Bruce's Purple RL1 or RL2 (need to confirm with Suze which one blew her away) - (my reference number either 29 or 30).

Both were very good tomatoes, but the RL1 had that extra bit of oomph that firmly put it in the "outstanding" category for me.

You wouldn't happen to know who brought the unknown German heirloom, would you? I saved some seeds and intend to grow it next year. One of my favorite tomatoes at the event, just luscious.

Originally Posted by feldon30

How could I forget the tomato sorbet in my review? It was deelish! Sort of a sweetish lemony sorbet with just enough tomato essence.

Easily the best sorbet I've ever tasted.

[nctomatoman]

Yes! I brought the unnamed German Heirloom. Some fellow from Western NC called me last year looking for some Granny Cantrell seed. WE worked out a trade - I would send him some Cantrell, he would send me a German tomato that was the best he tasted. That's what you had at Tomatopalooza - it has really been a great tomato for us this year....I need to go through my correspondences and find his name, to build in the story of the tomato. At this point, it is just a mystery!

[duajones]

I have never even had sorbet. Anyone have a recipe for the sorbet mentioned?

[Suze]

The recipe for the tomato sorbet can be found here:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=6095

[feldon30]

Sorbets are sugar syrup (water and sugar simmered on the stove until dissolved) with juice. Adding milk or cream would make it more of a sherbet or gelato.

It's best not to add lemon juice or other juices as it is simmering as they lose flavor from being cooked. If the idea of frozen lemonade makes your mouth water, sorbet is worth making. I really need to get back to making sorbet more often.

For making sorbets, The Krups Automatic Ice Cream Maker (used to be called the Krups Glaciere) can't be beat for $50. it's compact, quiet, and easy to clean. Ideal for use on a counter. No rock salt required. You just need sufficient freezer room to keep the empty freezable canister for 12-18 hours beforehand.

[Worth1]

So Morgan what you are saying is that with a boat motor a barrel and the 30 below weather on the slope this winter I can make this stuff.

Worth

[bms44974]

Craig, are you referring to the pictures or the subject? I'm glad I could help document the occasion.

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

Why does everyone take funny looking pics of me? Here are two I found...taken by an attendee named Brian and posted in his album.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...64951577fuhjgd

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...64951577kdSCxh

[Lee]

Well, What an exciting time it was.
We had over 180 people and over 180 varieties to sample.

I am amazed that this has now become an event.
In 2002 when we first met at the small shelter at Umstead Park, we tasted
~60 varieties (most brought by Craig) with a small contingent of ~30 people.
I know my primary goal was to taste and share with others as many different
varieties as possible to see what was the best tasting maters around.

Fast foward 5 years, at Tomatopalooza[tm] is no longer a tomato tasting get
together. It has become a special event for friends to get together from all
walks of life and all places to meet and socialize, and share a passion for
tomatoes.

So, what did I think of the event.... Outstanding. Meeting Rena and her kids
after a long 6+ hour drive from Georgia showed someone with a real passion!
Meeting Suze and Morgan who hopped on a plane to be with us and share their
love for maters was amazing. Talking with Craig(Mischka) about the drive from
Mass! just to see what the hype was about shows true committment. Michelle was one I was most excited to see for her visit to Tomatopalooza, and not just
because she brought Martha's Lime Green Salad Sorbet! Visiting with Jim and
Andrew from SC/GA, Gary/Josh from around the corner, NCTim and Celtic was
encouraging to see and hear about all their mater growing seasons. And all
the others that I met and visited with. Its just hard to describe with words alone....


Oh, and there were a few tomatoes to taste!
Tim's Witty F3 RL9 was fantabulous! The hint of sungold that Patrina had mentioned in Zig Zag Wattle 2, was in there!
Lucky Cross and Little Lucky were displayed at their finest.
Green Giant was very good this year, Cherokee Green was great, but almost
surprisingly, Spears Tennessee Green was better!

Yes folks, I said STG was better than GG and CG. GG is a sweet tomato with a hint of tartness complimenting it in the background.
STG is a tart tomato with a hint of sweetness complimenting it in the background. Absolutely fantastic. And the group around me while tasting it
thought the same as well. We've got to get this one out!

It was great seeing all the dwarves, and for the second time, I brought
a real spitter of a tomato. This time it was my Zig Zag Wattle #2 RL1. Blechhhh.
Odd thing was that a co-workers' Zig Zag Wattle #2 (not represented), is
fabulous.

Again, thanks to all who came, and to our gracious hosts who loaned us the
use of their farm for the day. Y'all were the ones who truly made it marvelous.

Lee


Tomatopalooza[tm] 5 Varities - 185 different
4th of July F1
Akers West Virginia
Andrew Rahart Jumbo Red
Anna Banana Russian
Annanas Noir
Arkansas Traveler
Aunt Gertie's Gold
Aunt Ginny's Purple
Banksia Rose 3 RL3
Barossa Beauty PL1
Barossa Beauty PL2
Barossa Beauty PL3
Barossa Fest PL1
Barossa Fest PL2
Barossa Fest RL1
Barossa Fest RL2
Bashful F3 RL6 NCTIM RL1
Beauty King
Beefy Boy
Berkley Tie Dye
Better Boy
BHN589
Big Mama F1
Big Red F1
Black from Tula
Box Car Willie
Brandy Boy F1
Brandywine F3RL3 F4PL1 - F5PL1
Brandywine Pink
Brandywine Sudduth
Buck's County F1
Bundaberg rumball 3 RL1
Bundaberg rumball 3 RL2
Bundaberg rumball 3 RL3
Carbon
Carmello F1
Celebrity
Chapman
Cherokee chocolate
Cherokee Green
Cherokee Purple
Clare Valley Red RL2
Copia
Cuostralee
Dixie Golden Giant
Dopey F2 RL1
Dopey F2 RL2
Dopey F2 RL3
Dr. Neal
Dr. Wyche's Green F2
Dr. Wyche's Red F3
Dr. Wyche's Yellow F2
Dreamy
Dwarf Stone
Earl's Faux
Elfie
Eva
Eva Purple Ball
Gajo de Melon
Galapagos Island Yellow
Gary O'Sena
German Heirloom
German Johnson
German Johnson, potato leaf
Golden Dwarf Champion
Goose Creek
Green Doctor
Green Giant
Green Grape
Grumpy F2 PL1
Happy F3 RL2 - Cosmic RL1
Happy F3 RL2 - Cosmic RL2
Happy F3 RL2 - Cosmic RL3
Happy F3 RL3 - Patrina RL1
Happy F3 RL3 - Patrina RL2
Hawaiian Pineapple
Hugh's
Humph
Hungarian Italian Paste
Hungarian Red Paste
Husky Gold
Japanese Black Truffle
Jeff Davis
Juliet F1
June Pink
Kalmans Hungarian Pink
Kangaroo Paw Red RL1
Kangaroo Paw Red RL2
KBX
Kellogg's Breakfast
Kimberly
Kristina Bulgarian #1
LaRoma F1
Lemon Boy
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom
Lime Green Salad
Little Lucky
Lucky Cross
Maiden's Kiss
Malaschor Isura
Mexico Midget
Mortgage Lifter
Mortgage Lifter Pale Leaf
Mountain Fresh
Mountain Spring
Nebraska Wedding
New Big Dwarf
New Zealand Pear
Not Akers West Virginia
Not Aunt Gerties Gold
Not Opalka
Omar's Lebanese
Opalka
Orange Heart
Orange Heirloom
Perfection
Persimmon
Pineapple
Pink Ping Pong
Porterhouse Beefsteak
Rasp Red
Reif's Red Heart
Rose Quartz
Rosella Crimson RL1
Rosella Crimson RL2
Saint Piere
Shannon's
Sleazy A F2 RL1
Sleazy A F2 RL2
Sleazy B F3 Bruce's Purple RL1
Sleazy B F3 Bruce's Purple RL2
Sleazy B F3 RL1 - Patrina RL1
Sleazy B F3 RL1 - Patrina RL2
Sleazy B F3 RL1 - Patrina RL3
Sleepy F2 PL1
Sneezy F2 PL1
Sneezy F2 PL2
Sneezy F2 PL3
Sneezy F2 RL1
Sneezy F2 RL2
Sneezy F2 RL3
Soldaki
Spear's Tennessee Green
Stokes County
Striped Cavern
Stump of the World
Stumpy
Summer Cider
Summertime Gold 2 - PL1
Summertime Gold 2 - PL2
Summertime Gold 3 - PL1
Summertime Gold 3 - PL2
Summertime Gold 3 - RL1
Summertime Gold 3 - RL2
Summertime Gold 4 - PL1
Summertime Gold 4 - PL2
Summertime Gold 4 - RL2
Summertime Green PL2
Summertime Green PL3
Summertime Green PL4
Summertime Green RL2
Sungold
Sungold Select II
Sweet Million F1
Tennessee Heirloom
Thai Pink Egg
Tipsy
Turkey Chomp
Warratah Red RL1
Warratah Red RL2
White Wonder
Witty F2 RL1
Witty F3 NCTIM RL10
Witty F3 NCTIM RL8
Witty F3 NCTIM RL9
Yellow Brandywine
Yellow Pear
Zig Zag Wattle 1 - RL1
Zig Zag Wattle 1 - RL2
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL1
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL2
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL3
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL4
Zig Zag Wattle 2 - RL5