On Sun, 06 Apr 2008 09:16:47 +1200, Miche >
wrote:

>In article >,
> "Ophelia" > wrote:
>
>> :
>> > "Steve Pope" > wrote
>> >> I guess the alternative is a European system where they don't
>> >> let you pick produce; the vendor selects it for you. Or
>> >> if you're fluent enough in the requisite language and feeling chatty,
>> >> you can have some influence over it. Simple pointing doesn't seem
>> >> to work.
>>
>> Not so in UK! In supermarkets there is a choice of prepacked or 'choose
>> your own'.
>
>Same in New Zealand.
>
>> In markets, you can pick out what want from what is on show and hand it to
>> the owner to weigh.
>
>And again, same here.
>
>Miche

in russia, produce picks you!

your pal,
yakov

On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 17:47:51 -0400, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

>Ophelia wrote:
>>> "Steve Pope" > wrote
>>>> I guess the alternative is a European system where they don't
>>>> let you pick produce; the vendor selects it for you. Or
>>>> if you're fluent enough in the requisite language and feeling
>>>> chatty, you can have some influence over it. Simple pointing
>>>> doesn't seem to work.
>>
>> Not so in UK! In supermarkets there is a choice of prepacked or
>> 'choose your own'.
>>
>> In markets, you can pick out what want from what is on show and hand
>> it to the owner to weigh.
>>
>That's typical in the US, too. I dislike the "prepacked" because I like to
>select my own. But I don't spend half an hour fondling every tomato in the
>bin!
>
>Jill

we know. you're over at the cucumber section.

your pal,
blake

"The Cook" > wrote

> "Heirlooms" have become very mainstream. You can tell when Burpee
> starts selling the seeds.

Too bad they don't carry the Ugli seeds. I guess they are
proprietary or something along those lines.

nancy

On Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:55:08 -0800, Blinky the Shark
> wrote:

>jmcquown wrote:
>
>> I spotted some nice looking "tomatoes on the vine" at Publix the other
>> day. They weren't cherry or grape tomatoes (in fact, the sign didn't
>> specify the type of tomatoes).
>>
>> I've seen Gordon Ramsay plop the little ones, still on the vine, right
>> into a pan with a little olive oil to pan-roast them. Okay, that's nifty
>> but these were far too big for that. Whatever I chose to do with them I'd
>> be taking them *off* the vine. And they were $4.99/lb! What are they
>> trying to do, prove tomatoes grow on vines?!
>
>Don't make me mention those 20 cents per pound on-the-vine tomatoes I got
>last week again.

....from the trunk of someone's car.

your pal,
blake

Nancy Young wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote
>
>> I saw some Ugly tomatoes! Can't recall the price, something like
>> $2.99/lb. Maybe next time I'll pick one or two up.
>
> I love them. They are not cheap, and that is fine with me. Worthwhile.
I don't buy tomatoes all that often so the price doesn't upset me
terribly... except $4.99/lb for "on the vine" just rubbed me the wrong way.

Jill

Nancy wrote on Sun, 6 Apr 2008 09:45:55 -0400:

??>> "Heirlooms" have become very mainstream. You can tell
??>> when Burpee starts selling the seeds.

NY> Too bad they don't carry the Ugli seeds. I guess they are
NY> proprietary or something along those lines.

Possibly, "Ugli" is a registered name but "Ugli Fruit" have been
around for a while. I'm not totally convinced that "heirloom"
tomatoes have really been passed down for generations, despite
their name. They taste good and are even better if you can grow
them yourselves.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"James Silverton" > wrote

> Nancy wrote on Sun, 6 Apr 2008 09:45:55 -0400:
>
> ??>> "Heirlooms" have become very mainstream. You can tell
> ??>> when Burpee starts selling the seeds.
>
> NY> Too bad they don't carry the Ugli seeds. I guess they are
> NY> proprietary or something along those lines.
>
> Possibly, "Ugli" is a registered name but "Ugli Fruit" have been around
> for a while. I'm not totally convinced that "heirloom" tomatoes have
> really been passed down for generations, despite their name. They taste
> good and are even better if you can grow them yourselves.

I can't say about the heirlooms, though there have been people
collecting seeds for a long time now. I think Shepherd's was one,
saving old varieties from extinction. I will be planting an heirloom
this year, I'm determined.

I thought the Ugli Ripes were a relatively recent development in
Florida. I know they disappeared for a while because Florida
tomato growers managed to get their sale banned. Produce
politics.

nancy

James Silverton wrote:
> Nancy wrote on Sun, 6 Apr 2008 09:45:55 -0400:
>
>>> "Heirlooms" have become very mainstream. You can tell
>>> when Burpee starts selling the seeds.
>
>> Too bad they don't carry the Ugli seeds. I guess they are
>> proprietary or something along those lines.
>
> Possibly, "Ugli" is a registered name but "Ugli Fruit" have been
> around for a while. I'm not totally convinced that "heirloom"
> tomatoes have really been passed down for generations, despite
> their name. They taste good and are even better if you can grow
> them yourselves.
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
The seeds for the various varieties that are now called 'heirloom' have been
available in the seed catalogss for at least 30 years and some of them much,
much longer. If one was paying attention as time went by, you would see the
acquisition stories for the various ones. I can't put my finger on a place
to cite for you right now, but at the beginning of the 20th century home
growers and farmers were growing x-gazillion varities of vegetables. As time
went by, we grew less and less varieties due to attractiveness,
marketability, folks bought seed because of convenience instead of saving
their own, certain varieties traveled better to the big city markets -- lots
and lots of reasons. I read the article perhaps in the '90's and it was
incredible the amount of varities that were no longer in common use. I'm
thinking that we were only growing 10 percent diversity compared to the turn
of the century (20th). Living History Farms in Iowa, Seeds of Change and
others around the world have made an effort to collect the seeds of the old
varities of plants and to continue growing them to avoid their total loss.
It's important not only to maintain our history but to guard against famine
caused by some resistant insect or bacteria attacking a narrow spread of
plant choices. The old seeds also give developers a choice of base seed to
work from when seeking a particular attribute. Janet -- stepping down from
her soap box 'o}

Stan Horwitz wrote:
> In article >,
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
>> I spotted some nice looking "tomatoes on the vine" at Publix the
>> other day. They weren't cherry or grape tomatoes (in fact, the sign
>> didn't specify the type of tomatoes).
>>
>> I've seen Gordon Ramsay plop the little ones, still on the vine,
>> right into a pan with a little olive oil to pan-roast them. Okay,
>> that's nifty but these were far too big for that. Whatever I chose
>> to do with them I'd be taking them *off* the vine. And they were
>> $4.99/lb! What are they trying to do, prove tomatoes grow on vines?!
>
> Its all marketing schtick. The implication is that a tomato on a vine
> sitting in a grocery store's produce bin is fresher and more flavorful
> than other tomatoes.

Not necessarily. An old time way of keeping your tomatoes fresh after the
season ends is to pull the entire plant (on the vine) and hang the plant
upside-down from the rafters in the basement. The juices continue to flow
from the plant itself, thus keeping the fruit from becoming dissicated.
Thre's more to it than that , but I'm not a botonist and couldn't relate it
well.
Janet

Blinky the Shark wrote:
> Ophelia wrote:
>
>> Sheldon wrote:
>>> There are quite a few companys
>>
>> Uhoh Shelybum let us not forget our perfect English eh???
>
> Uhoh Shelybum sounds like a Jewish holiday.

<G>

Ophelia wrote,

>Steve Pope wrote:

>> Although I've been visiting the UK since 1985, it's only in the
>> past ten or so years that I've been staying mostly in places
>> with kitchens when I'm there, so only recently have I been
>> shopping for food in the UK.

>Usually, the prepacked stuff is what you see first. Ignore that and go
>looking. You will find the loose ones.

I havn't had much trouble on recent visits; our last trip to
London we stayed within walking distance of Borough Market.
For grocery store trips we would go to Waitrose, and they have
both prepacked and unpackaged produce. Things like bananas
are loose, peppers mostly pre-packed.

In practice I don't think there's too much of a drawback to
the pre-packaging.

Steve

Steve Pope wrote:
> Ophelia wrote,
>
>> Steve Pope wrote:
>
>>> Although I've been visiting the UK since 1985, it's only in the
>>> past ten or so years that I've been staying mostly in places
>>> with kitchens when I'm there, so only recently have I been
>>> shopping for food in the UK.
>
>> Usually, the prepacked stuff is what you see first. Ignore that and
>> go looking. You will find the loose ones.
>
> I havn't had much trouble on recent visits; our last trip to
> London we stayed within walking distance of Borough Market.
> For grocery store trips we would go to Waitrose, and they have
> both prepacked and unpackaged produce. Things like bananas
> are loose, peppers mostly pre-packed.
>
> In practice I don't think there's too much of a drawback to
> the pre-packaging.

Unless you want to choose what you want)

On 2008-04-06, Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Don't give the peasants any more flavor, because
> we don't want to go down that road."

I wouldn't be a bit surprised, Mark. Next thing you know, they'll be
wanting flavor in all kinds of produce. <corporate shudder>

nb

"Janet Bostwick" schrieb :
> James Silverton wrote:
>> Nancy wrote on Sun, 6 Apr 2008 09:45:55 -0400:
>>
>>>> "Heirlooms" have become very mainstream. You can tell
>>>> when Burpee starts selling the seeds.
>>
>>> Too bad they don't carry the Ugli seeds. I guess they are
>>> proprietary or something along those lines.
>>
>> Possibly, "Ugli" is a registered name but "Ugli Fruit" have been
>> around for a while. I'm not totally convinced that "heirloom"
>> tomatoes have really been passed down for generations, despite
>> their name. They taste good and are even better if you can grow
>> them yourselves.
>>
>> James Silverton
>> Potomac, Maryland
> The seeds for the various varieties that are now called 'heirloom' have been
> available in the seed catalogss for at least 30 years and some of them much,
> much longer. If one was paying attention as time went by, you would see the
> acquisition stories for the various ones. I can't put my finger on a place to
> cite for you right now, but at the beginning of the 20th century home growers
> and farmers were growing x-gazillion varities of vegetables. As time went by,
> we grew less and less varieties due to attractiveness, marketability, folks
> bought seed because of convenience instead of saving their own, certain
> varieties traveled better to the big city markets -- lots and lots of reasons.
> I read the article perhaps in the '90's and it was incredible the amount of
> varities that were no longer in common use. I'm thinking that we were only
> growing 10 percent diversity compared to the turn of the century (20th).
> Living History Farms in Iowa, Seeds of Change and others around the world have
> made an effort to collect the seeds of the old varities of plants and to
> continue growing them to avoid their total loss. It's important not only to
> maintain our history but to guard against famine caused by some resistant
> insect or bacteria attacking a narrow spread of plant choices. The old seeds
> also give developers a choice of base seed to work from when seeking a
> particular attribute. Janet -- stepping down from her soap box 'o}
It's the same over here. The best-known example would be the different kinds
of apples.
Since seeds don't keep forever, the institutions over here are more than glad
to give them to you to plant in your garden. In return, you'll give them some
seeds
from the plant.

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Ophelia wrote on Sun, 6 Apr 2008 17:08:24 +0100:

O> Steve Pope wrote:
??>> Ophelia wrote,
??>>

??>>> Steve Pope wrote:
??>>
??>>>> Although I've been visiting the UK since 1985, it's only
??>>>> in the past ten or so years that I've been staying
??>>>> mostly in places with kitchens when I'm there, so only
??>>>> recently have I been shopping for food in the UK.
??>>
??>>> Usually, the prepacked stuff is what you see first.
??>>> Ignore that and go looking. You will find the loose
??>>> ones.
??>>
??>> I havn't had much trouble on recent visits; our last trip
??>> to London we stayed within walking distance of Borough
??>> Market. For grocery store trips we would go to Waitrose,
??>> and they have both prepacked and unpackaged produce.
??>> Things like bananas are loose, peppers mostly pre-packed.
??>>
??>> In practice I don't think there's too much of a drawback
??>> to the pre-packaging.

??>> Unless you want to choose what you want)

Or, how much! I think some of, say, three peppers would be
around 'til they rotted.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 15:32:43 +0000 (UTC), (Steve
Pope) wrote:

>Ophelia wrote,
>
>>Steve Pope wrote:
>
>>> Although I've been visiting the UK since 1985, it's only in the
>>> past ten or so years that I've been staying mostly in places
>>> with kitchens when I'm there, so only recently have I been
>>> shopping for food in the UK.
>
>>Usually, the prepacked stuff is what you see first. Ignore that and go
>>looking. You will find the loose ones.
>
>I havn't had much trouble on recent visits; our last trip to
>London we stayed within walking distance of Borough Market.
>For grocery store trips we would go to Waitrose, and they have
>both prepacked and unpackaged produce. Things like bananas
>are loose, peppers mostly pre-packed.
>
>In practice I don't think there's too much of a drawback to
>the pre-packaging.


There is a real drawback when you are trying to buy for one and
everything is packaged for 4 or more. Especially when the apartment
refrigerator only has a small freezer compartment. Been there done
that.

Now that we are buying for the two of us and have 3 refrigerators and
2 freezers it is not a problem.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

James Silverton wrote:
> Ophelia wrote on Sun, 6 Apr 2008 17:08:24 +0100:
>
>> Steve Pope wrote:
>>> Ophelia wrote,
>>>
>
>>>> Steve Pope wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Although I've been visiting the UK since 1985, it's only
>>>>> in the past ten or so years that I've been staying
>>>>> mostly in places with kitchens when I'm there, so only
>>>>> recently have I been shopping for food in the UK.
>>>
>>>> Usually, the prepacked stuff is what you see first.
>>>> Ignore that and go looking. You will find the loose
>>>> ones.
>>>
>>> I havn't had much trouble on recent visits; our last trip
>>> to London we stayed within walking distance of Borough
>>> Market. For grocery store trips we would go to Waitrose,
>>> and they have both prepacked and unpackaged produce.
>>> Things like bananas are loose, peppers mostly pre-packed.
>>>
>>> In practice I don't think there's too much of a drawback
>>> to the pre-packaging.
>
>>> Unless you want to choose what you want)
>
> Or, how much! I think some of, say, three peppers would be
> around 'til they rotted.

Quite!

Michael Kuettner wrote:
> "Janet Bostwick" schrieb :
snip
Living History Farms in
>> Iowa, Seeds of Change and others around the world have made an
>> effort to collect the seeds of the old varities of plants and to
>> continue growing them to avoid their total loss. It's important not
>> only to maintain our history but to guard against famine caused by
>> some resistant insect or bacteria attacking a narrow spread of plant
>> choices. The old seeds also give developers a choice of base seed
>> to work from when seeking a particular attribute. Janet -- stepping
>> down from her soap box 'o}
> It's the same over here. The best-known example would be the
> different kinds of apples.
> Since seeds don't keep forever, the institutions over here are more
> than glad to give them to you to plant in your garden. In return,
> you'll give them some seeds
> from the plant.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Michael Kuettner

What a good deal to get free seeds. . .unfortunately, I don't live close
enough to any group to visit and request some. I have visited the Living
History Farms and it was fascinating.
Janet

"Janet Bostwick" schrieb :
> Michael Kuettner wrote:
<snip>
>> It's the same over here. The best-known example would be the
>> different kinds of apples.
>> Since seeds don't keep forever, the institutions over here are more
>> than glad to give them to you to plant in your garden. In return,
>> you'll give them some seeds
>> from the plant.
>>
>
> What a good deal to get free seeds. . .unfortunately, I don't live close
> enough to any group to visit and request some. I have visited the Living
> History Farms and it was fascinating.

Send them an email. They might be happy to send the seeds to you via
snail-mail.

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

The Cook > wrote:

>On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 15:32:43 +0000 (UTC), (Steve

>>In practice I don't think there's too much of a drawback to
>>the pre-packaging.

>There is a real drawback when you are trying to buy for one and
>everything is packaged for 4 or more.

You're right of course. Although at the Waitrose, things
seems to be small packages (i.e. two peppers, a half-pound
of brocolli, etc.) and you can still sift throug the packages
and pick the ones you like the looks of.

A big objection I have to this is the overpackaging -- all
that extra plastic in the waste stream.

Steve

jmcquown > wrote:

> Sqwertz wrote:
>> jmcquown > wrote:
>>
>>> Fred/Libby Barclay wrote:
>>>> Jill>still sittin' in South Carolina
>>>>
>>>> I'm sittin' in Greenville, South Carolina, and my tomatoes from
>>>> Publix are Campari or Amorosa in plastic containers for $4.99.
>>>> You must be talking about something else because they've always been
>>>> clearly labeled and in a container.
>>>>
>>> BZZZT! But then again, Greenville is Hell and Gone from Lady's
>>> Island. These were just tomatoes "on the vine" sitting in a bin. No
>>> name, no label and no plastic containers.
>>
>> IIRC, Butt Ugly Ripe tomatoes were pretty popular in the Carolinas.
>> Look for those instead. I never had a bad one of those. I don't
>> see them here in TX.
>>
> I saw some Ugly tomatoes! Can't recall the price, something like $2.99/lb.
> Maybe next time I'll pick one or two up.
>
>> And while trying to remember their name, I came across this tidbit
>> that is pertinent ot the thread:
>>
>> http://www.producepete.com/shows/uglyripetomatoes.html
>> "In the tomato industry, tomatoes are considered "vine ripe" when
>> they show a little color break. A color break is when the tomato
>> shows a yellow or reddish patch of color on the skin. This is a good
>> indication that the tomato will ripen at home - but the taste will
>> never be like a ugly ripe which is left on the vine till ripeness".
>>
> Thanks

See all this great stuff you've been missing with me in your
killfile?

This is just no fun any more. Jerry Sauk has gone to make pastures
greener, and I'm not in Jill's killfile (at the moment). What's a
guy to do for fun anymore?

-sw

"Sqwertz" schrieb :
> jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> jmcquown > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Fred/Libby Barclay wrote:
>>>>> Jill>still sittin' in South Carolina
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm sittin' in Greenville, South Carolina, and my tomatoes from
>>>>> Publix are Campari or Amorosa in plastic containers for $4.99.
>>>>> You must be talking about something else because they've always been
>>>>> clearly labeled and in a container.
>>>>>
>>>> BZZZT! But then again, Greenville is Hell and Gone from Lady's
>>>> Island. These were just tomatoes "on the vine" sitting in a bin. No
>>>> name, no label and no plastic containers.
>>>
>>> IIRC, Butt Ugly Ripe tomatoes were pretty popular in the Carolinas.
>>> Look for those instead. I never had a bad one of those. I don't
>>> see them here in TX.
>>>
>> I saw some Ugly tomatoes! Can't recall the price, something like $2.99/lb.
>> Maybe next time I'll pick one or two up.
>>
>>> And while trying to remember their name, I came across this tidbit
>>> that is pertinent ot the thread:
>>>
>>> http://www.producepete.com/shows/uglyripetomatoes.html
>>> "In the tomato industry, tomatoes are considered "vine ripe" when
>>> they show a little color break. A color break is when the tomato
>>> shows a yellow or reddish patch of color on the skin. This is a good
>>> indication that the tomato will ripen at home - but the taste will
>>> never be like a ugly ripe which is left on the vine till ripeness".
>>>
>> Thanks
>
> See all this great stuff you've been missing with me in your
> killfile?
>
> This is just no fun any more. Jerry Sauk has gone to make pastures
> greener, and I'm not in Jill's killfile (at the moment). What's a
> guy to do for fun anymore?
>
Clobber baby seals ?

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

In article >, susan_r23666
@yahoo.com says...
> On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 21:25:14 -0600, "Janet Bostwick"
> > wrote:
>
> >James Silverton wrote:
> >> Janet wrote on Sat, 5 Apr 2008 18:00:09 -0600:
> >>
> >>> zxcvbob wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Couple of winters ago, I was looking thru the tomatoes at
> >>>> the grocery store, and the 2" diameter fancy
> >>>> orange-colored tomatoes actually smelled like a tomato.
> >>>> (I don't remember if they had the stems still on or not.)
> >>>> The red and the yellow tomatoes just like them had
> >>>> no smell at all, neither did any of the other tomatoes.
> >>>> So I bought some at made pico de gallo with them, and it
> >>>> was quite good. I saved some of the seeds and planted
> >>>> them in my garden the next summer. They didn't produce a
> >>>> whole lot, but they were the same lovely orange 2+ inch
> >>>> tomatoes, with even more flavor because they were
> >>>> picked fully ripe. Wife wouldn't eat them because they
> >>>> were the "wrong color" (More for me! But I didn't plant
> >>>> them again.)
> >>>>
> >>>> I'm planting an old variety called Rutger this year. They
> >>>> are red, so she should like them :-)
> >>>>
> >>
> >> The local "gourmet" supermarket, Balducci's, has what they call
> >> "heirloom" tomatoes. They look like genetic engineering had gone
> >> wrong and are expensive but they taste good!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> James Silverton
> >> Potomac, Maryland
> >>
> >They all have individual names, but calling them 'heirloom' gives them sex
> >appeal. (and adds to the $$$) They are various old varieties of tomatoes
> >from around the world and they are tasty. Each differently shaped and
> >colored one should have a different taste. In fact, they are no more
> >difficult to grow or unavailable seedwise to warrant the current interest in
> >them. 20 years ago Yukon Gold potatoes were all the new rage, now they are
> >everywhere. We are just rediscovering our past. "Everthing old is new
> >again." ;o]
> >Janet
> >
>
>
> "Heirlooms" have become very mainstream. You can tell when Burpee
> starts selling the seeds.
>

Speaking of tomatoes, last year I did beefsteak and cherry tomatoes. I
managed to hybridize the two and they turned out into these little heart
shapped and delicious tomatoes. You bet your ass I save seeds from those
and they're sprouting now in the indoor pot.

T wrote:
> In article >, susan_r23666
> @yahoo.com says...
>> On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 21:25:14 -0600, "Janet Bostwick"
>> > wrote:
>>
snip
> Speaking of tomatoes, last year I did beefsteak and cherry tomatoes. I
> managed to hybridize the two and they turned out into these little
> heart shapped and delicious tomatoes. You bet your ass I save seeds
> from those and they're sprouting now in the indoor pot.

Would you report back on your success or lack of? I'm curious as to how
that will work out Thanks
Janet

T wrote:

> Speaking of tomatoes, last year I did beefsteak and cherry tomatoes. I
> managed to hybridize the two and they turned out into these little
> heart shapped and delicious tomatoes. You bet your ass I save seeds
> from those and they're sprouting now in the indoor pot.

<Screams a top-of-lungs> Arrrrgggghhhhh, genetically modified food!!!!

ROTFLOL!!!


--
Dave
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,
butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance
accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders,
give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new
problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight
efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

Steve Pope wrote:
> The Cook > wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 15:32:43 +0000 (UTC),
>> (Steve
>
>>> In practice I don't think there's too much of a drawback to
>>> the pre-packaging.
>
>> There is a real drawback when you are trying to buy for one and
>> everything is packaged for 4 or more.
>
> You're right of course. Although at the Waitrose, things
> seems to be small packages (i.e. two peppers, a half-pound
> of brocolli, etc.) and you can still sift throug the packages
> and pick the ones you like the looks of.
>
> A big objection I have to this is the overpackaging -- all
> that extra plastic in the waste stream.
>
> Steve
>
Two peppers for me is too peppers too many And I agree about the plastic
& the styrofoam tray they put the veggies on. And in the case of something
like crookneck or zucchini squash, I've sometimes found they're turned in
such a way as to hide a soft brown spot on the skin.

Jill

Andy wrote:

> Blinky the Shark said...
>
>> Andy wrote:
>>
>>> Andy said...
>>>
>>>>> Throw in your sister and I'll give you a whole tomato and a half-shot
>>>>> salad shooter.
>>>
>>> And I might add, you'd be getting the best of the bargain!
>>
>> So I don't have to throw in my latest invention?
>>
>> http://blinkynet.net/comp/hinge-o.html
>
>
> OH!?
>
> Natch, I'll take one of those, if you're feelin' guilty and want to
> sweeten the deal. Bus speed?

I think they average about 15 MPH around here.

> And I'll deliver my sister in a TFH tiara! NO returns!

I'm a little leary of the return policy. You won't even accept a return
for DOA?[1]

Oh, you should know that the wiring harness for connecting the pc-board
traces across the gap costs extra.

[1]Dog On Arrival



--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Blinky: http://blinkynet.net

Julia Altshuler wrote:
> Sqwertz wrote:
>> Most large commercial growers have dropped the
>> "vine-ripened" phrase, and are now calling them "on the vine", whcih
>> doesn't do anything except make them smell better (I love the smell
>> of tomato branches).
>>
>> Which brings up the point - what is the word "vine" even used?
>> Aren't they *branches*?
>
>
> I prefer the word "vine" since the branches don't attach to a trunk
> which would be self-supporting. Vines typically need a trellis or stake
> or chain link fence to vine up, and tomato plants do need that.
>
>
> My question is what's the short term to describe what "vine ripened"
> should mean. We need something that means "ripened on the whole plant
> with its roots in soil and fruit warmed by the sun, picked when ripe,
> not subjected to that chemical that speeds ripening, bred for flavor and
> fragrance as opposed to something that can withstand being transported
> cross country, and tastes like a tomato, not like styrofoam." Any ideas
> for how to make that into a pithy marketable phrase?
>
>
> --Lia
>

My best guess as to why tomatoes are sometimes sold in little bunches on
branches follows two possibilities: (1) It's a marketing ploy (2) It
keeps the tomatoes from spearing each other with their stems.
Either way, I buy the "loose" tomatoes. They tend to cost a bit less
than the "bunch" ones, and I just leave the stem-punctured ones behind.
(I've never seen fingernail marks on a tomato, though.)

Tomatoes picked while unripe and then reddened by ethylene gas may be
"Ripe" in a technical sense, but if you want real "vine ripe" flavor you
have to get them from a local grower, or plant 'em yourself.

I've picked the last of my tomatoes while still green, some years, just
before the first frost of winter. They gradually ripened or rotted in
their huge cardboard box on the kitchen floor, whichever they preferred,
and I had fairly good tomatoes through February.
I had to toss out a lot of bad ones before the rot had a chance to spread...
If you want them to ripen faster, put a banana in the box with them.
Bananas produce ethylene gas faster than ripening tomatoes do by themselves.

Michael Kuettner > wrote:

> "Sqwertz" schrieb :
>
>> This is just no fun any more. Jerry Sauk has gone to make pastures
>> greener, and I'm not in Jill's killfile (at the moment). What's a
>> guy to do for fun anymore?
>>
> Clobber baby seals ?

Club Sandwiches, Not Seals.

Damn, somebody already coined that phrase! I swear I never saw it
(while conscious)

-sw

"Sqwertz" schrieb :
> Michael Kuettner wrote:
>
>> "Sqwertz" schrieb :
>>
>>> This is just no fun any more. Jerry Sauk has gone to make pastures
>>> greener, and I'm not in Jill's killfile (at the moment). What's a
>>> guy to do for fun anymore?
>>>
>> Clobber baby seals ?
>
> Club Sandwiches, Not Seals.
>
> Damn, somebody already coined that phrase! I swear I never saw it
> (while conscious)
>
I think it was the same bugger who coined "Don't walk on grass ! Smoke it !"

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Blinky the Shark said...

> Andy wrote:
>
>> Blinky the Shark said...
>>
>>> Andy wrote:
>>>
>>>> Andy said...
>>>>
>>>>>> Throw in your sister and I'll give you a whole tomato and a half-
shot
>>>>>> salad shooter.
>>>>
>>>> And I might add, you'd be getting the best of the bargain!
>>>
>>> So I don't have to throw in my latest invention?
>>>
>>> http://blinkynet.net/comp/hinge-o.html
>>
>>
>> OH!?
>>
>> Natch, I'll take one of those, if you're feelin' guilty and want to
>> sweeten the deal. Bus speed?
>
> I think they average about 15 MPH around here.
>
>> And I'll deliver my sister in a TFH tiara! NO returns!
>
> I'm a little leary of the return policy. You won't even accept a return
> for DOA?[1]
>
> Oh, you should know that the wiring harness for connecting the pc-board
> traces across the gap costs extra.
>
> [1]Dog On Arrival


Fine!

Take my sister, please!

Andy

jmcquown wrote:

> Ophelia wrote:
> >> "Steve Pope" > wrote
> >>> I guess the alternative is a European system where they don't
> >>> let you pick produce; the vendor selects it for you. *Or
> >>> if you're fluent enough in the requisite language and feeling
> >>> chatty, you can have some influence over it. *Simple pointing
> >>> doesn't seem to work.
>
> > Not so in UK! *In supermarkets there is a choice of prepacked or
> > 'choose your own'.
>
> > In markets, you can pick out what want from what is on show and hand
> > it to the owner to weigh.
>
> That's typical in the US, too. *I dislike the "prepacked" because I like to
> select my own.


The Treasure Island supermarket chain here in Chicago still has a
"European" - style produce section, you pick out your own and then
it's weighed and labelled by a store employee. Kind of a drag when
you are checking out and somebody has not had their already produce
weighed...



*But I don't spend half an hour fondling every tomato in the
> bin!



Most every week I notice OCD nutcases fondling various grocery items.
Last week it was some old bag fondling all the bags of frozen Bird's
Eye veg on sale, more recently a wierd young chick pawing over every
single package of ground beef. This is why I rinse most everything
off when I get home from shopping (not canned goods or packaged dry
goods)...


--
Best
Greg

Andy wrote:

> Blinky the Shark said...
>
>> Andy wrote:
>>
>>> Blinky the Shark said...
>>>
>>>> Andy wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Andy said...
>>>>>
>>>>>>> Throw in your sister and I'll give you a whole tomato and a half-
> shot
>>>>>>> salad shooter.
>>>>>
>>>>> And I might add, you'd be getting the best of the bargain!
>>>>
>>>> So I don't have to throw in my latest invention?
>>>>
>>>> http://blinkynet.net/comp/hinge-o.html
>>>
>>>
>>> OH!?
>>>
>>> Natch, I'll take one of those, if you're feelin' guilty and want to
>>> sweeten the deal. Bus speed?
>>
>> I think they average about 15 MPH around here.
>>
>>> And I'll deliver my sister in a TFH tiara! NO returns!
>>
>> I'm a little leary of the return policy. You won't even accept a return
>> for DOA?[1]
>>
>> Oh, you should know that the wiring harness for connecting the pc-board
>> traces across the gap costs extra.
>>
>> [1]Dog On Arrival
>
>
> Fine!
>
> Take my sister, please!



--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Blinky: http://blinkynet.net

T wrote:
> Speaking of tomatoes, last year I did beefsteak and cherry tomatoes. I
> managed to hybridize the two and they turned out into these little heart
> shapped and delicious tomatoes. You bet your ass I save seeds from those
> and they're sprouting now in the indoor pot.
>

Wonderful! You have to let us know how that goes. I have cherry
tomatoes sprouting on my balcony in a pot...I'll be saving some seeds
from some local tomatoes that I bought and planting them too.

--
-Gina in Italy

All hail the pizza lord!

In article > ,
says...
> T wrote:
> > In article >, susan_r23666
> > @yahoo.com says...
> >> On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 21:25:14 -0600, "Janet Bostwick"
> >> > wrote:
> >>
> snip
> > Speaking of tomatoes, last year I did beefsteak and cherry tomatoes. I
> > managed to hybridize the two and they turned out into these little
> > heart shapped and delicious tomatoes. You bet your ass I save seeds
> > from those and they're sprouting now in the indoor pot.
>
> Would you report back on your success or lack of? I'm curious as to how
> that will work out Thanks
> Janet
>
>
>

I'll do that.

"none" <""Mark\"@(none)"> wrote

> Either way, I buy the "loose" tomatoes. They tend to cost a bit less than
> the "bunch" ones, and I just leave the stem-punctured ones behind.
> (I've never seen fingernail marks on a tomato, though.)

I never noticed until someone here mentioned that every tomato
in some store had little half moon cuts in the skin and finally figured
out it was a fingernail poke. Since then I have noticed that more
than once. I never before wondered what caused that rejected
tomato to have that cut. Now it's obvious.

nancy

On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 06:19:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

>On Apr 5, 4:07*pm, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote:
>
>> Depending upon my mood that day, I would have explained to him one way or
>> another about that quirk of his. ;o} *That's like picking all the grapes you
>> want off the vine and leaving ickt looking bunches for someone else.
>> Janet
>
>And that would be wrong why?
>Frankly, I don't see the problem. Its your money you have to eat what
>you select. Why shouldn't a person have the right to buy only what
>they choose when buying produce? You shouldn't be able to open sealed
>packages but if the fruit and veggies are just piled high, loose in
>the bins, why not select only what you deem the best of what's
>offered?
>

to the extent of picking individual grapes from a bunch? i don't
think so.

your pal,
blake

On Mon 07 Apr 2008 07:30:00a, blake murphy told us...

> On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 06:19:40 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
>
>>On Apr 5, 4:07*pm, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote:
>>
>>> Depending upon my mood that day, I would have explained to him one way
>>> or another about that quirk of his. ;o} *That's like picking all the
>>> grapes you want off the vine and leaving ickt looking bunches for
>>> someone else. Janet
>>
>>And that would be wrong why?
>>Frankly, I don't see the problem. Its your money you have to eat what
>>you select. Why shouldn't a person have the right to buy only what
>>they choose when buying produce? You shouldn't be able to open sealed
>>packages but if the fruit and veggies are just piled high, loose in
>>the bins, why not select only what you deem the best of what's offered?
>>
>
> to the extent of picking individual grapes from a bunch? i don't
> think so.
>
> your pal,
> blake
>

Nor do I. Nor do I think people should be picking individual tomatoes off
the "vine tomatoes". They're meant to be sold as a "unit".

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Monday, 04(IV)/07(VII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
6wks 6dys 11hrs 20mins
-------------------------------------------
Do you really believe the past
arranges itself for our convenience
into those paltry little squares they
print on calendars?

On 2008-04-07, Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

> Nor do I. Nor do I think people should be picking individual tomatoes off
> the "vine tomatoes". They're meant to be sold as a "unit".

To chumps, perhaps!

If I want two of them and there are three on a vine, I'll pull off two and
leave the third on the vine. If you don't mind paying $3-5 lb for inedible
vine, be my guest. Momma Notbob never raised such a foolish child.

nb

On Mon 07 Apr 2008 12:55:43p, notbob told us...

> On 2008-04-07, Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>> Nor do I. Nor do I think people should be picking individual tomatoes
>> off the "vine tomatoes". They're meant to be sold as a "unit".
>
> To chumps, perhaps!
>
> If I want two of them and there are three on a vine, I'll pull off two
> and leave the third on the vine. If you don't mind paying $3-5 lb for
> inedible vine, be my guest. Momma Notbob never raised such a foolish
> child.
>
> nb
>

So you are one of the guilty ones! :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Monday, 04(IV)/07(VII)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
6wks 6dys 11hrs
-------------------------------------------
Grits...Cream of Wheat with an attitude!
-------------------------------------------