A Purple Peacock Broccoli Head
This was the first year I planted broccoli. Surprisingly, the broccoli has managed to survive the challenging, warmer than usual winter and produce heads and side-shoots.
Purple Peacock was a small plant compared to the Piracicaba but the head was similar in size.
Purple Peacock was a small plant compared to the Piracicaba but the head was similar in size.
Berkeley Tie-Dye, Cherokee Purple, Paul Robeson,
Moonglow and Beauty King
Golden Beauty, Beauty King, Cherokee Purple, Black From Tula
Green Zebra, Berkeley Tie-Dye and Wapispinicon Peach
Many of the tomatoes have cracked from the heat and that's why some of the tomatoes in the photos are side-ways or upside-down. Maybe next winter the cooler weather will return to Kihei.
The Beauty Kings
This winter I trialed 2 of the Wild Boar Farms tomatoes. Although the Beauty King cracked, it handled the heat a little better than the Berkeley Tie-Dye. Aside from the cracking, both varieties were beautiful and delicious.
Last fall I purchased this cool kitchen gadget from Seeds From Italy. The Passata Machine makes great sauce and it's such a time saver. I work full-time and it was a challenge to keep up with the tomatoes in previous years. This has made tomato season so much easier.
The Passata Machine
Last fall I purchased this cool kitchen gadget from Seeds From Italy. The Passata Machine makes great sauce and it's such a time saver. I work full-time and it was a challenge to keep up with the tomatoes in previous years. This has made tomato season so much easier.
Your tomatoes look absolutely delicious! I just showed "The Italian" your Passata Machine and he wants one! It's his job to make the sauce around here!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that the broccoli did so well considering the heat you are having! Enjoy!
I love your tomato assortment! You have grown some of my favorites from this past season!!
ReplyDeleteHi Robin! I think the Italian will love the Passata! I don't have a food mill so I don't know how it compares but it makes great sauce and paste and it's so fast. The broccoli was a wonderful surprise as I didn't think it could grow in 80+ degree temps.
ReplyDeleteHi Holly! All of the tomatoes in the photos were so ono except the moonglow. The moonglow was sort of flavorless but that might have been due to the heat.
Sounds like we should have picked this year to visit Maui, what with the heat. It was cool when we last were there in Jan. '08. It snowed so much up on Haleakala they closed the road and we never made it up there even.
ReplyDeleteOf course the heat makes it even more difficult for you. I'm always amazed by how much you can push the envelope with your gardening in such a challenging environment. The tomatoes are beautiful, and make my mouth water thinking about them!
That's a beautiful head of broccoli, does the color faded away when cooked?
ReplyDeleteYour tomatoes are amazing, they look so delicious,I'm dying for some fresh tomatoes now.
Hi villager! With the exception of the recent rainstorm, it's been gorgeous beach weather and I'm sure all of our visitors are just loving it. That's unfortunate that it snowed while you were here!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at some of the things that I've been able to grow here - I didn't think broccoli could grow in such warm weather. Mahalo for your compliments about my tomatoes!
Hi Mac! Unfortunately, just like most of the other beautiful purple veggies, it turns green when cooked. Although I didn’t get as many tomatoes this winter due to the weather, most were really flavorful. This year I planted my 5 favorites and I trialed several striped and yellow/orange tomatoes. They were all really good except the moonglow but it might have been the heat.
The Purple Peacock broccoli is beautiful! I might have to give it a try some day. And those luscious tomatoes... yum. Have a BLT for me!
ReplyDeleteI have something similar for processing tomatoes. I couldn't live without it. It would just take too long otherwise. Wonderful harvests. I can't wait until spring.
ReplyDeleteI also have a Roma processor which is very similar to your Passata machine. It makes processing tomatoes, berries, and making aapple sauce - much easier.
ReplyDeleteThe tomatoes look totally awesome! So hungry for a vine ripened tomato but we have about 7 months to wait in this area. (sigh)
So envious. Tomatoes are as bland and grocery store as they come right now. LOL. MUST look into that machine. Great price and if it really does all that - would be worth it's weight in gold!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness Jane, you have excellent taste in tomatoes! All of the kinds i only wish i could grow. And they look amazing, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear your little machine works as intended. i purchased a similar machine last year from Williams Sonoma thinking that it might be good to juice lilikoi with. It's not. Maybe i'll be lucky enough to try it with tomatoes one day ; )
Hi Michelle! Next week I'll upload a photo of a Purple Peacock next to a Piracicaba. It's little and delicate compared to the Piracicaba and yet the main head was similar in size. It might be a variety you would like and it doesn't need much room.
ReplyDeleteHi Daphne! I was surprised how fast I could process the tomatoes with this machine. Spring will be here so fast and I think your garden is going to be amazing this summer!
Hi kitsapFG! I'll have to try making applesauce with the Passata. Oh tomatoes! I wish I could grow the regular/beefsteaks all year here but due to the heat I can really only grow them in the winter. I get a longer season with the cherries though.
Hi Barbie! I don't know why the store boughts have to taste like cardboard - even the store bought heirloom tomatoes are terrible! I guess that's because they have to have a longer shelf life and heirlooms are best when just picked.
Hi Julie! I usually have extra seeds if you want to grow any of these. I haven't tried the passata with anything but tomatoes as yet. I usually put lilikoi in a blender with some water to separate the seeds but of course that dilutes it a bit.
Aloha Jane,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tomatoes--they escaped the melon fly or did you tent them? The brocolli looks delicious! I am always amazed at your bountiful harvests! Corliss
Hi Corliss! The feedback I've gotten from gardeners in other areas of Hawaii is that the melon and oriental fruit flies will attack tomatoes. I've only had problems with these flies from late spring through the end of summer, a time when I don't grow the regular tomatoes as it's too hot. I do grow cherries during the summer but I've not had any damage by fruit flies, just birds.
ReplyDeleteBroccoli was so easy to grow!