From the garden to the kitchen, and everything in between.
I’m a cook and gardener, living in a small town in southern coastal Maine. I’m joined by my two cats — le due sorelle — sisters who reign as the household deities. This started out as a way to record what was happening in my garden, and has grown to include all the other things I encounter along the way.
The tomatoes.
Here, in New England, we are dependent on storage crops to get us through the winter. I discovered a type of tomato grown in Italy that, once stored, remains fresh until the next growing season. The ones I found in the southern part of Italy are called pomodorini del piennolo or pomodorini appesi, or “hanging tomatoes.” These are harvested in late August into September, fashioned into bunches, then hung in a cool, dry place to store.
I wanted to find out if these tomatoes were a viable option here, and grew out four varieties in the 2011 season. Three of them were sourced from Seeds from Italy: Principe Borghese, Grappoli d’Inverno, and Ponderosa. The fourth variety, the one I call Aprile, is named for the farm in Puglia where I first had these tomatoes.
• 2011 Grow-out varieties and seed descriptions
• 11.12.12 Winter tomato, pomodorini harvest
• 9.9.13 Winter Tomatoes: Pomodorino del Piennolo, Aprile & Ponderosa
Contact: diaryofatomato [at] gmail.com
Diary of a Tomato 
Another Mainer! Thanks for your comment. Those tomatoes sound very interesting. This is my first year doing the hoophouses. If they are successful I may try tomatoes early. Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
I am so happy to have found your blog. My husband and I live in New Hampshire and have a summer cottage in Maine where I have my gardens.
I love the theme and mission of your blog. I’m happy to have found it. I try to be a locavore as much as possible and, in coastal Florida, it’s not as easy as one might think. That’s why I garden so much amd share with others. Keep up the good work and positive message. I look forward to your future posts.
Hey there! I adore your blog and I nominated you for the Illuminating Blogger Award! You can get the details here http://foodstoriesblog.com/illuminating-blogger-award/ I do hope you accept! Have a wonderful day!
I, for one, would love to see pictures of YOU so I can imagine you at work. If we bump into you at a Farmers Market we would recognize you. So how about it? Jane
Hi Jane — Thanks for the timely request, we’ve had plans to update when time allows! Until then, you can find me at LinkedIn. I’m usually behind the camera rather than in front ;)
Hi! I just went to your LinkedIn profile and see that we have many things in common!! Can’t wait to connect with you….