Drowning in Garden Tomatoes

Is it possible to have too many homegrown tomatoes? The answer is yes, and the condition is contagious.
Thanks to a summer that was slow to get out of bed (hot days didn't hit until late August) the green tomatoes hanging on the plants around here didn't turn red until, well, about 5 minutes ago. And they are all red right now, just when everybody is so busy with the wine harvest that they are never home.

As a result, when anyone has a get-together, all the guests bring tomato dishes -- and boy, are they inventive. At a BBQ this weekend, we had spicy Mexican salsa; black beans, tomatoes and onions; a chutney made exclusively with the sweetest tiny tomatoes; and a cabbage slaw with a dressing made with crushed tomatoes.
We're even going retro-- a neighbor reports she's baking them with breadcrumbs just like her mom did back in the '50s.
One BBQer said she has a plan: eat as many garden tomatoes as she possibly can during the season and then totally avoid the store-bought version the rest of the year. Call it tomato bingeing.

In case the tomato glut has hit your kitchen, check out these clever recipes. Do you have a favorite?
Let's binge away!

Fresh Tomato Pie
http://busycooks.about.com/od/savorypierecipes/r/tomatopie.htm ;

Fire and Fruit Yellow Tomato Salsa
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1898440

Italian Bread Salad
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/mid-summer-italian-bread-salad/Detail.aspx

The Pinot and Porch Rebellion

I’ve come to think that there is something subversive about front porches. They seem nice in theory – but a apparently not so useful in fact. Many folks I know here in cheery wine country do a great job fixing up their backyards with shiny new BBQs, lush flower beds and big veggie gardens. And then they spend all their outdoor time admiring their handiwork. You can’t blame them, with such inviting yards—but the front porch where they can see their charming neighborhood is silent and neglected.

I guess we are the rebels. At my house we do only minimum work in the backyard and have picked the porch for our evening glass of wine and hangout spot. Now it’s become a regular meeting place for apartment and condo dwelling friends as well as for some of those backyard-loving neighbors. We watch the dogwalkers go by, see the trees turn green then gold and greet the folks next door. Along with some seasoned almonds and guacamole-and-tortilla chips we try the latest everyday wine find. Malbec wines from Argentina and Cabernet from Toad Hollow Vineyards are popular this month. Often, wine on the porch turns into a sunset stroll around the town, usually with the family pooch.

As I write this I think that could be a new category for me: Front Porch Wine Pairings. Hmmmm. More on that to come.

No porch at your place? Here’s a calendar to get you in the mood.
http://www.amazon.com/Porch-Calendar-2009-Wall-Calendars/dp/1565125983

Cheers,
Joan