Piper picked these this morning. She reached her kid paws into the towering tomato vines and plucked. Happily.
“They’re beauties, aren’t they?” she asked.
“They sure are, P,” I agreed.
We ran our fingers over their smooth skin, inspecting the colors, pressing their ripeness.
“What do we do with them?”
I looked at Piper, studying her deprivation. Surely, the kid’s had a tomato. What kind of a mother am I? Her Daddy has a tomato phobia, it’s true, but I know for a fact that Piper’s enjoyed grape tomatoes in her lunch. I packed them myself.
“You eat them, honey. They’re tomatoes. Fresh ones,” I explained, for good measure. I’ve taught grammar to high school students, too, but that doesn’t mean they remember where to put their commas. Sometimes we have to reteach and repeat.
“Can I eat one?”
“Yep,” I said, nodding my head and popping a pearl tomato into my mouth.
Piper picked out a juicy one. She licked. She nibbled. She broke the skin. She stuffed it in her cheek like a squirrel. Her whole face smiled. Tomato juice dribbled down her chin. Pure delight.
Then she leaned over the trash can and spit the whole thing out. “Yuck! They’re sweet. Like candy!”
And the problem is? Maybe it’s genetic.
piperism 
too bad – fresh from the garden tomatoes are one of my joys–but we can’t all have the same joys
They’re one of my joys, too. I salvaged them with fresh basil, local mozzarella, olive oil, balsamic, and salt and pepper. If Piper can resist that, she may not actually be my child. I have faith that she’ll grown into the tomato’s wonder one day.
sounds so good
You can send me her share if she doesn’t want them. They look wonderful!
They are! I’d share them with you any day.
Just keep trying she will come around to our way of thinking. Loved the story!
Thanks, Mom. I never thought I could birth children who didn’t love tomatoes. Sigh. I’ll keep trying if you’ll keep reading!
I have tomato issues like Piper. I’m not a huge fan – although I love a good fresh sauce with xtra basil and garlic. And I do like a plump tomato with salt and pepper. So as always – it’s more about the condiments for me. Hope she tries again!
She tried them again in a quinoa and black bean dish last night and yummed them up. I’m not sure she realized they were tomatoes. She does love tomato sauce and tomato soup. And who doesn’t love condiments? I’m an addict.