Then please let it be this one...
Oh My Goodness.
I've never ever tasted such a wonderous tomato. Never Ever.
You might remember a few months ago I got excited when I discovered Digger's seedlings at my local IGA. I went a little nutty and snapped up as many as I could, I wanted to prove to IGA that the seedlings were popular, and therefore they would carry them. In retrospect that is more than a little nutty. Good nutty though, because in doing so I discovered the tomato from the garden of Eden.
This lovely little green and yellow number is otherwise know as Green Zebra. And apart from being deliciously attractive, little Green Zebra is perfection on the inside too. It's not a large tomato, or at least mine aren't, and I remembered that the tomato lady at the markets told me to go be feel rather than colour. I had been keeping a careful eye on these ones, and all of a sudden I noticed how much they had yellowed (they were uniform green until then). I gave the bigger one a little squeeze, and it felt soft and ripe, so off it came.
I honestly wasn't expecting much. My cherry tomatoes are quite nice, lovely and fresh I'll give you that, but the one big red tomato I had produced had proven to be floury and very disappointing. So I was ready for it.
With this one though, I could tell I was onto a winner as soon as I sliced it open. It was firm, yet pliant, the knife cut through it like butter... and the slices... juicy and tender, and the taste, it was a tomato, and yet not, there was something a little different about it. Put to a blind taste test, I'm not sure if I'd pick this as tomato. It was that much better than any tomato I've ever tasted.
From now on, apart from a few experimental plants to see what else I am missing out on, I am devoting all my tomato talents, and lack thereof, to this one tomato type.
I love you Green Zebra.
24 comments:
Goodness, its a wonder you had time to photograph it before it was devoured!!!!
Well done...I bet you will be saving some seeds...Suzanne
Cripes, as I was looking at the photos for the post I realised I hadn't saved any seeds... I'm not doing to well at keeping the line going so far, am I!
the first one is for savouring and raving about...you can save seeds from the next one. The photos made my mouth water! They will be grabbed if you submit them! You get an oblique sort of mention in tomorrow's blog. Look for it.
Ooo I am becoming a regular on your blog, two mentions in two weeks! I'm feeling loved :)
I haven't saved tomato seeds before, I will give it a go with the next tomato... my goodness I'm looking forward to eating that one.
Grrooaannn! Ali ... I can almost taste that Tomato! You gotta save some seeds!! I've heard those green Tomatoes are heavenly and you've proved that.
Just squeeze out a few from the next two or three ripe fruit, cover with water and let them ferment for 2 or 3 days. Drain off the water (by this time the gel surrounding the seeds should have sloughed off), put the seeds onto some kitchen paper to dry. Then package with variety and date. And bring a few to Roma Street! ;-)
Yes!! i always recomend to people Green Zebra. It's my favorite and very productive too. It's never had any issues with blossom end rot or any other diseases too in my yard.
Hi Ali; I had a similar experience with "Tigerella", which I have grown a few times now. It has everything I want in a tomato - including good looks and superb flavour. Do you know that one? It even looks a bit like Green Zebra. If you like tomatoes that much you should visit the website Tomatopedia (see link on my blog), and have a drool!
Right you've convinced me - I'm trying it.
Ali, your comments have made me prouder than you could ever know. Rarely does a plant breeder ever achieve such an accolade for any variety!
My daily internet search for Green Zebra that comes to my email inbox alerts me to anything remotely related to 'Green Zebra', therefore I am thrilled to read your post.
Green Zebra was named by me back in 1972 from a series of crossing and saving seed and repeating the process again. Had I not collected varieties starting in the early 1950's, and being disappointed in the flavors and colors....I would have not had the opportunity to do the breeding necessary to make such a variety as the Green Zebra.
I still like the zing of my Green Zebra and I am glad you do too. I can only imagine what you would think of my newer creations of many varieties that have Green Zebra pedigree.
Anyone interested in my work only has to type in my name and tater mater into a search window and you can read about my breeding of potatoes and tomatoes. My forum is fairly active and my blog has some pictures. Thanks so much.
Tom Wagner
Goodness me Tom, how blooming exciting. I am so glad I said nice things about your tomato, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the breeder of this fabulous beauty would turn up on my blog. I am quite chuffed to be honest :)
I will go and take a look at your site, I'd love to see if I can get a hold of other varieties you recommend, I can only imagine how tasty they would be. Thank you so much for commenting, you've made my day.
And thank you so much for taking the time to breed that fabulous tomato, my goodness it's good.
Thanks again, Ali.
Not one to experience a chuff....a new slang word for me....but pleased nonetheless....I should send you a seed or two in a greeting card of one of my newest tomatoes. I have a great candidate for the name ZEBRA CHUFF.
I am making a bit of a pun here, but since you used the word chuff, I thought it rhymes with shuff as in genetic shuffle and the sound a tiger makes; ie. a tiger chuff.
So, you've all wondered what a zebra chuff actually sounds like. I've decided to post one so ya'll can hear it. The "chuff" is the sound zebra’s make when they're happy and affectionate. You can even chuff at a zebra, and he will usually chuff back in response. It is a great way to bond with them. The Zebra Chuff tomato may make this sound (brɪzbən) ALL THE TIME when people and/or bees are around, but most likely in Queensland. They're happy to get attention, and of course, people being around means food or water are on the way, so that makes them even happier.
Listen to a zebra chuff at….(a choppy donkey's bray crossed with a small dog)……
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-zebra.html
or
http://goosie.cogsci.indiana.edu/farg/harry/bio/zoo/zebrap.wav
The chuffing sound that a human makes is only heard as they eat a variety of Green Zebra called the Zebra Chuff.
I will make sure that only Ali gets this exclusive Green Zebra type variety. And only if she grows the two seeds will she be able to share the seed during a second season. By that time she will have the Zebra Chuff down pat.
Tom, is that really what a zebra chuff sounds like? The second one was honestly quite fabulous, I'd like my zebra chuffs to sound just like that. I am so pleased to make the acquaintance of someone who knows these things.
And of course who can produce fabulous tomatoes.
I am a bit worried as to the health of my little green zebra though... I looks a little like it is withering under my love and tender care for it. I am trying to keep my thumb of death well away from it.
Well, I must say that if your description hadn't done it for me, those photos of the tomato slices would have! They sound and LOOK absolutely divine!
Thank you GG, divine is exactly the right word :)
Ali, you have inspired me with this wonderful review! I have recently obtained a Green Zebra upon your recommendation. Now to be patient and wait for it to grow...
Ms Rabbit, that's quite fabulous... may I enquire as to where you got it from? I went out looking for some today, but no luck. Alas my IGA source has dried up, I don't know why though, they were popular enough - I bought them all!
Wow Ali, Grandad is most impressed with your Green Zebra Tomato and so am I.
Ali, I found it at Bunnings! I know. I was gosh darn excited too. They had heaps, so hopefully it's an ongoing thing?
Oh Bunnings, that's too easy! Wonderful, I am going to stock up this weekend... were they the Digger's ones?
Yep, the Digger's ones, in the red pots, exactly like the ones you bought at IGA. My spy (Mr Rabbit) tells me that Bunnings have stocked the Digger's ones for a few months now. They also had eggplant. Seems promising! Maybe call your local one before heading out there though. I do know Bunnings will also order/hold plants for customers so if they're out of stock you may be able to get some ordered in for you.
Ooo Bunnings, of course! Our local one is really big, so hopefully they'll be stocked up. I might go a bit wild. Let me know how you like them, I really wasn't exaggerating when I said they were the best I've ever tasted.
Hi Ali,
greetings from a fellow Brisbane gardener! Gotta say, I love your blog. Just reading it now, I found it thru Brisbane Local Food.
I just ordered these Green Zebra seeds from eBay, thanks to your recommendation. I hope the birds and possums (that eat just about every I grow) will leave these alone because they're not red.
I get almost all my seeds from Australian eBay - most seeds are about $1/packet and postage is $1 for the whole order, and usually they arrive faster than it would take me to make the trip to local Bunnings. What bugs me with Diggers is how long they take to ship your order - last time I waited for a whole month! Ebay's the way to go, I say, and the selection's great too!
Cheers,
Marikki (from West End)
Hey Marikki, thanks for your lovely comment :) I've just been reading all about Rex and his impacted bum glands - nice! I am so glad that he found a home, poor thing.
I have never bought seeds from eBay, I'll have to give it a try. I can't go past Digger's though - I lust after their seed packets! I am dying to get some more green zebra from them, after all that rain we had mine topped it, and this year I want a forest of them! They really are that good. Yum o.
Love the sound of your chuffing zebra!
Ollie
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