odd shape, delicious taste

Even the beefsteak tomatoes are starting to ripen on the vine. We monitor carefully and pull when just shy of ripe so the big tomatoes do not split.

We have several different varieties of beefsteaks growing. A solid yellow, a yellow with red streaks, a red with truly odd shapes.

Most likely these are Radiator Charlie Mortgage Lifters. In the late 1920's/early 1930's a radiator repair man crossed several types of tomatoes to get this massive, odd shape mess of deliciousness. And then, few years later, added the part about mortgage lifting, as sales of the plant in spring and the tomato in the growing season had allowed him to pay off his mortgage. We love the story behind these tomatoes and also love the taste. Lettuce is in the ground and tiny sprouts are up. We hope for cool enough weather for lettuce to grow so we can have BLT's with these big beauties and our bacon. We are spoiled, no doubt.