This year’s contestants:

Cherokee Purple  (always a fave, makes the best BLT’s)

Old German (it takes one to know one)

Green Zebra

Japanese Trefele

Beefsteak

Rutgers  (I’m in Jersey, of course I’m going to have this one)

Super Marzano

San Marzano Gigante 3  (I’m wondering what happened to 1 & 2)

Amish Paste

Orange Paruche

Chocolate Cherry

Sweet 100

Of course a lot of tilling was involved but since I caved-in and gave up on the old Mantis and bought a new tiller,  everyone wanted to get in on the act.  Primo was dying to till, and till he did.

Seen here, tilling the squash patch.

Fortunately we’ve got an eager 13 year old to help.   But some folks don’t have the help at hand.  Here’s a story Mom sent:

An old maan lived alone in  New Jersey  .  He wanted to plant his annual  tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard.

His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over..  I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Pop,
Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried.
Love,
Vinnie

 At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.

That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you,
Vinnie

Our current favorite band excels at face-melting bluegrass music.  But it turns out mandolin player Jeff Austin is also quite accomplished in the kitchen.  We should have known when we saw them last summer they talked about the great restaurant down the street from the venue.  A restaurant a friend had recomended to me and we passed up.  Just think!  We could have dined with the band!

Great interview on Epicurean Musician.

On the bright side, I’ve ordered my seedlings rather than starting seeds this year.  With so many varities available as live plants it seemed like too much trouble to start my own.  But the snow had better melt soon as I asked for a “first half of April” delivery.

What was I thinking?

To our delight we received word last weekend that, as rumoured, they’ve reopened in nearby Nutley.   Same menu same smiling faces welcoming us.  For those of you who are nearby they’re at 358 Passic Ave in Nutley (sorry, no website).

And somehow in the process of figuring out where they were I stumbled upon this wonderful site:  Pho Fever.  Primo’s already got his eye on a “Pho Shizzle” t-shirt.