Call me clairvoyant, but as predicted last month, Cherokee Purple is the 2012 winner in the ‘first tomato to wind up on a BLT’ race. It was an impressive feat, coming in a couple of weeks earlier than last year, and cruising in far ahead of any other contenders. It would likely have been even earlier if I had started seeds a bit sooner. But who knew what kind of weather we would have, with an early spring and even earlier summer.
Cherokee Purple tomatoes (click on image to enlarge)
There may not be as many of the Cherokee Purples (aka CP) as we had last year, due to the long string of days with temps over 100F. That has resulted in not many setting on lately, and will probably cut into the yields of all the larger slicing tomatoes. The smaller fruited tomatoes and the paste varieties seem to be holding up a bit better. At any rate, CP is going to star on the first BLT of 2012 tonight. I even baked a special loaf of bread just for it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Not in any races, but making their first showing this year were the yardlong beans. I stir-fried them Szechuan style for a side dish. Unlike some of the tomatoes, the yardlong beans are loving the heat, and loaded with blooms and young beans. Maybe they are winning the ‘who can take the heat’ race!
yardlong beans
To see other Gardeners’ winners, visit Daphne’s Dandelions and see what’s going on this Harvest Monday. I’ll be back later this week with a recipe to share.
Those tomatoes look sooooo delicious…can you tell I’m missing mine? I bet that BLT was fabulous!
It was good. And I’m having another tonight!
Lovely ! Though not ripening yet, my CP’s are ahead of their consorts also, even the so-called early varieties.
It is amazingly early for an heirloom variety.
Very nice! Those tomatoes are just calling to be eaten!
They were – and we answered the call!
Beautiful tomatoes. Mine are still green. Not that I care much since I can’t eat them, but still they are pretty when they ripen. I’ve tried growing yard long beans twice here unsuccessfully. I’m going to have to try again though as I do love them.
Those tomatoes look mouthwateringly good! None here yet, but tomorrow or the next day my first early salad style tomato should be ready. It’s a rather bland variety, bred for earliness, but the taste will still beat anything you can buy hands down. Hoping to try my first Cherokee Purple this summer if my plants beat the wilt.
I hope your CP plants survive, because it is one tasty tomato!
Lovely tomatoes! Mine are still green (well, mostly yellow… and flowery) but I am looking forward to seeing some red!
I love CP’s. Mine have all gone now. It’s too late in the season in Mobile, Alabama for tomatoes, at least until fall planting. (It’s too hot and humid every day for them.)
I’m sure we will have a gap in production. But temps have moderated this week, so new blossoms should be OK for a while.
Oh, you’ve got my watering at the thought of a BLT on homemade bread. My first one is still weeks, if not months, away.
Your beans are splendid. Tomatoes, too!
I sympathize with the smaller tomato harvest than normal! But they look delicious!
The Cherokee Purples look gorgeous! Your yardlong beans look great, it makes me wish I had planted some this year since they’re so much easier to pick then bush beans.
You are so right – they are easy to pick and prolific.
I am so jealous of your yardlong beans, I have no flowers yet, may be with the heat wave they will start to leap and flower. Beautiful CP tomatoes, again still waiting for flowers, you are so far ahead of us.
They sure have been loving the heat here! The pole green beans are not happy, but the yardlong beans are going like gangbusters.
Nice looking ‘maters! My big ones are just coming in, Black from Tula and Italian Heirloom. Liking both of them. Haven’t tried the CP yet.
I haven’t tried Black from Tula, but I do have Black Krim planted this year. We will see how they do here.
One of my favorite tomatoes is Cherokee Purple, and mine started flowering right away this season and has the biggest tomato on it. Yours are particularly nice with no cracks and nicely shaped.
Wow! Look at those beans! Congratulations to the Cherokee Purple for winning the Great Tomato Race 2012!