‘Debaro Red Russian Plum’

Over the weekend I harvested all the tomatoes save the ones on 'Indigo Rose.’ The best producer this year was the above 'Debaro’ tomato. An elderly Russian lady brought the seeds from Siberia many decades ago. She grows them every year at her nursing home and gave my friend a plant. She then propagated them for others. Russian tomatoes do well in our foggy, cool summers in Point Loma. 

My favorite little 'Green Zebra’ tomatoes did not do so well this year. Laurel’s Heirloom Tomato Plants describes them this way: “Visually enchanting, abundantly productive…ripens to a beautiful amber gold with dark green zebra-like stripes. Inside, the flesh is beautiful, sparkling green…It is gorgeous to behold, tangy and deeply sweet with lingering flavors, like fine wine.  This exquisite tomato was chosen by…Alice Waters, for her restaurant, Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. In my top 5.”

Of course, I’ll try again next year.

All things considered, it was a good finish to the season.

My two little neighborhood friends, Emmie and Lily peered over the fence today asking if there were any more of the “explosion tomatoes.” The heirloom black cherry tomatoes sampled the week before were so described because they explode with flavor when you bite into them.

The 'Blue Lake’ green beans continue to produce well.

Green beans stir-fried with garlic and seasoned with soy sauce. Served with toasted, slivered almonds.

And the zinnias bloom with abandon in the vegetable garden.

Harvest Monday is hosted by Daphne’s Dandelions. It’s a time to share what you’re harvesting in your garden or how you’re using it.

Photo credits: Most of the photos in today’s blog were snapped by my cousin, Susan Bell on a visit this past weekend.