grape tomatoes

**"e.merge" h*@direct.ca**

Hello from Tomato Land to the North

I am now confused. What kind of tomatoes? Variety names? I know there are
"currant" tomatoes (Martha calls them 'five in a spoon', but never
mind)....these are the actual first tomatoes (tomatls) grown by the Inca
zillions of years ago. But they are teeny-weeny. Well, of course they are
bigger than currants - more like nicoise olives. Completely sweet and very
tomato-ey tasting. Don't like fertilizer.

There are also saladette types like "Juliet" (don't like it - it grows
fine, keeps for months, but isn't very tasty) and a new one called "Olive"
which I tasted for the first time this year. It was big like a Queen olive,
featuring a big olive-like indentation almost like a belly button at one end. 

The absolutely supercallifragalisticex-pee-a ladocious 'cherry' tomato is
"Sungold" (F1) out of Japan - Tokita is the producer I think. A grower from
the Okanagan, a tomato specialist, who comes regularly to a couple of the
local markets - the Granville Market, and the East Van Farmer's
Market....he has become a bit of a cult figure (Canadians are desperate for
entertainment, and we infrequently get hot, sunny enough summers to grow
really good tomatoes)....anyhow, this man takes reservations from people to
buy Sungold tomatoes in advance. Sungold starts off green, turns yellow,
and then just as you are tempted to pick it you wait about two more
days...at the last possible moment, the colour turns orange/apricot. They
are the sweetest, tangiest tomatoes on the planet. 

I have seen "grape" tomatoes, both red and yellow, here in Vancouver - they
are like elongated cherry tomatoes about the size of Tumbler (the container
one) but are shaped like a grape - that is, sort of oval. I could go on and
on. If anyone wants the seed sources for these or other tomato varieties,
pls. let me know. 

Sharon H. Hanna
Writer & Urban Agriculturist
Member, Garden Writers Assoc. of America
(604) 736 1889

"Just Say No" to Chilean Sea Bass - an endangered species, harvested
illegally.  

Sharon's catalogue writing/recipes:
http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com

Xeriscaping/water-wise gardening article on Canadian Wildlife Federation
site, July 2002:

http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/whats_new/ten_commandments/hold_water.htm

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