Historical June 1987 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
(NOTE: This month our Macho Menu author is Greg Schoemehl, former owner of “Schoemehl’s Pub,” where he first developed his professional expertise with food. Currently, Greg is part of the famous SCHOEMEHL PAINTING TEAM. Greg and wife Sue and baby Danny live on the 5700 block of McPherson, where they’ve recently tried their hands at urban gardening.) When I was first asked to write one of many secret recipes for “Macho Menus,” I was leaning toward my famous homemade pizza.
But you’ll have to wait until next time, because today after spending a few hours outside breaking my back in the garden, I decided “Why should I have all the fun?” That’s why this month I’m taking the “Macho Menu” outdoors.
This year my wife Susan and I got a little carried away and are putting in a 30 x 30 garden in one of the empty lots next to our flat in the 5700 block of McPherson.
Our day-to-day digging and tilling has unearthed some rocks about the size of New Jersey, and let me tell you, this is a lot of work.
But it has given me the opportunity to talk about one of America’s biggest staples, the tomato.
First, there are many different types of tomatoes.
For a good all-around salad and sandwich tomato, I recommend the “Burpee Big Boy.” These do well in the St. Louis climate.
Two plants will provide more than enough tomatoes for the average family. You’ll probably have enough left over for friends, and friends, and still more friends.
But you should do more than one plant, because it could just up and die for no reason at all. You can find starter plants at many different stores and nurseries.
All you need to do is select a spot in your garden that gets a minimum of 6-7 hours of sunlight a day. Along a fence is great, then the plants can grow up the fence and be tied up easily. Dig a hole about 12″ deep and place plants 2-3 feet apart. Mix about 2 tsp. commercial fertilizer in the bottom, making sure to mix in the dirt well with the fertilizer. Place the plants in the hole – only the top four leaves on the plant need to be exposed. Pat dirt firmly around plant and water about every three days. Do not sprinkle but turn on the hose at a trickle and lay at the base of the plants and let the ground soak for about 10-15 minutes. Avoid watering in the heat of the day. Early morning and evening is best.
As the plants grow, use either stakes or trellis to let plants grow up. Just tie off as they grow.
When plants start to bear fruit, cut back on watering time.
If tomatoes split before ripening, this is a sign of too much water.
Now for the recipe part.
With good, homegrown tomatoes in sight for the rest of the summer, you have several choices: pick and eat like fruit, slice and eat like a vegetable, put in a salad or on a sandwich, can or freeze for sauces, cook on the stove as stewed tomatoes, or use in your favorite recipe. However you use it, there’s nothing like a great fresh tomato, and what could be better when it’s time for dinner than strolling out to the garden and picking your very own.
Original photograph caption
Greg Schoemehl, author of this month’s Macho Menus. The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, June 1987, page 2. Descriptive archival caption; photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, June 1987.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1987_06.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
