My maternal grandma planted useful things on her farm, and my dad did the same - that's Scottish and English heritage for ya!
Although, my dad did have an affinity for a particular houseplant he got - a canelike begonia rex! It grew to 6' tall with lovely pink cascading flowers!
I have to tell you a funny story - when I was about 10, our area schools had a "summer garden" contest that anyone could join. I'd never had a garden of my own before, so I went and got plant strips (3 vegetable strips) and then never weeded my garden. Well, when the judges came by, my garden was horrendous and I never got any kind of award. My Dad said "I told you that you had to tend it, by yourself". I guess I thought my family would look after it It was one of the many lessons my Dad taught me - no one will do your work for you!

Funny, Susan!

It's true, though: many life lessons can be learned from a garden.

Yes, they sure can! Whenever I think of gardening, I think of my Dad - he was a thorough man, and a perfectionist. I learned a lot of patience in my garden, and to "roll with the punches" because when you think everything's going well, you get hail! I think of kids like vegetables. You have to "be there" for them most when they're about to ripen (teen years) and they need your input (care) when they're first born so they have a good foundation (roots). Between birth and teens you nurture them so they build on their foundation (send them off to school, introduce them to other veggies, and give them room to grow, etc). Hopefully when they're mature they nurture you right back (feed you, when fully ripe and you're reaching the end of your own maturity - food for the worms and birds)

I just got 27 beefsteak tomatoes for $6 Cdn - yummy! Now, I have to have fried tomatoes on toast! It's a requirement, doncha know?!?! I found a new wholesale green grocers nearby that I keep meaning to go to, and finally today I did!
My DH doesn't like fried tomatoes on toast (didn't grow up with it as I did) so I'm taking the time to make them while he's at work
Gardens in Calgary find it very difficult to ripen tomatoes, so we mostly need to go to green grocers for them. I'm really, really pleased I went there today.
Now, I have to "dust off" my recipe books that have "Canning" recipes to find a good one for tomatoes!!!

I've had fried green tomatoes (a Southern staple), and a fresh tomato sandwich (a smidge of mayo and a sprinkle of salt), but I've never had a fried tomato sandwich!

not a sandwich - loads of butter in the frypan, melt it, add fresh cut chunks of very ripe tomatoes, Toast bread in the meantime and butter. Add salt/pepper to the tomatoes on the stove, and let them mash down very soft. When done, scoop it onto the toast on a plate. I used 2 tomatoes and covered 2 slices of toast..... yummy!
A great way to use overripe tomatoes when you're done canning and just want to Eat Them!!
You'd have to eat them off a plate - much too messy otherwise (trying to picture you eating it as a sandwich )

In Georgia, that is tomato gravy, a staple here for sure.. We eat it over biscuits, rice or mashed potatoes... We season it with salt, pepper and a tad of bacon grease.. Think I will have some tonight with some rice I have left over..

Larkie

Oops, talking food made me forget.. I am a 3rd + generation gardener..Farming family also goes back over 100 years on this old farm..

Ahhh-haaaa: Tomato gravy! Got it!

I've never heard it called that, and mine would be pretty lumpy....... I don't puree it down - I let it cook down, but it still leaves chunks of tomato

Yes, it is "lumpy".

Funny how things are so different in different parts of the continent!

f'sure - I'd never heard of fried green tomatoes until I was in my late 20's and could never think of eating unripe veggies...... and when I heard of it it was because of the movie.... still don't understand why the movie is called that..... but it's sorta like "An American Quit" - woman bonding and sticking by each other, no matter what. Love both movies for the connotations.

Here's mine! Belly on up to the tomato bar!


Shoe (lip-smackin'....yummy)

That's fried green tomatoes?

Oh Shoe!!! Droooool!

Love Fried Green Tomatoes.

Would it work for ripe tomatoes? I have 11 lbs of ripe ones, and waiting for my few green ones on the vine to ripen.

Ripe ones fall apart too much. Plus the taste isn't nearly the same.

Us Southerners batter and fry everything!

no, I suppose not...... really wanted to let my tomatoes ripen on the vine. We've been told so often that they Can't ripen on the vine, unless they're cherry tomatoes, that I want to prove "them" wrong! I've had one ripen on the vine and it was soooo tasty! I have several that I think will also ripen.... going to check them this afternoon (they're in my garden at a friend's yard...)

I usually leave my fried green tomatoes for first frost. All of those green tomatoes that are still on the vine right before the frost comes.
Dave doesn't have the appreciation of fried foods, so more for me!

I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to take them off!!

Meal batter, right Trish?

Meal batter????