Confessions of a Liberal Puritan

I grew up thinking I didn't like raw tomatoes at all, even though my Mom (who grew up on an Iowa farm) always planted a huge vegetable garden when she had space, including lots of big red tomatoes that she'd can in Mason jars for days and days come harvest time. But then in 1993 a parishioner gave me a free, tiny Cherry Sweet 100 seedling in a Dixie cup, which I transplanted into huge old pot just for the heck of it, and I discovered what "Indeterminate" means (the plant will branch and branch and produce and produce until frost kills it off) AND that home-grown cherry tomatoes can be sweet as candy, as well as fun to cook with.

From there, it was just a step to discovering heirloom tomato varieties (still remember my first "Mr. Stripey" plant with great fondness), and I became a home-grown tomato addict.

So, I came to it late, but I totally agree with you now -- the store-bought beefsteaks, Romas, and even grape tomatoes just don't measure up.