The Great Tomato Book Paperback – May 1, 1999

It's ok, hoped there would have been some recipes in it, but very interesting.

I bought this book for a friend, and when it arrived I wanted to keep it for myself! It has lots of great information about tomato growing, plus wonderful recipes. You can't go wrong.

Thanks

This is a beautifully illustrated, beautifully presented book depicting the tomato in all its glory. Much of the full-color photography was done by the author himself, who, among other things was the editor and publisher of a high-quality slick magazine in the Monterey, California, area, when I lived there.Gary Ibsen was a good customer of my commercial art business, and we were friends, back in the 1970s. But, this book is not about Gary. It's hero is the tomato (Fruit, or vegetable?) in all its forms and varieties.The book contains tips on planting and growing tomatoes, as well as an education on the differences between the varieties, and recipes from notable chefs on how to use them and enjoy them. And, of course, it is replete with a great many fine full-color photographs, all well-presented and illustrative of the fruit, for the tomato is a fruit--the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to the contrary notwithstanding.Well done, Gary Ibsen!Joe Pierre former owner of Publisher's Art Service

I love Gary's website tomatofest.com. It has the most interesting varieties of tomatos that you will find any where. I have ordered many, many tomato seeds from his website. I was excited to find his book as I thought for sure he would have included some really great tomato growing secrets. Unfortunately, one or two pages were dedicated to soil and trellising. I was so disappointed. Fortunately, the book contains great information on tomato varieties and beautiful pictures. Oh, well. Maybe his next book will include his secrets on growing tomatos.

This is a beautiful book. The pictures show many varieties of lush tomatoes. The recipies look delicious as well and I look forward to trying many of them this coming Summer. The author's general descriptions on certain varieties is nice as an overview. The book is really an overview of tomatoes and growing methods and fertilizers and offers specific recipies.If the author would have included tomato info on time to maturity for each of his tomato descriptions, then the book would have been more helpful to those trying to plan out what varities to grow to space out harvesting. Now I have to bop between the book's tomato descriptions and some seed web-sites to figure out what to plant to get a relatively spaced harvesting, which I have to do often since the tomatoes described in the look comprise a long list. Also, it would have been nice to know which varieties were hybrids and which were heirlooms. I'm surprised the author didn't mention Red Brandywine in his list as the flavor is the same with a better yield and some say it's easier to grow than the pink variety.The chapter of "Tomato Fest" could have been eliminated. I wasn't sure as it's purpose other than noting that the author liked to set up tastings.The chapter on favorite soil amendments can be summarized as a description of the soil amendment (typically organic which is great) and then the use "apply to soil prior planting." Again, this was an overview and I would have liked to know why to use one over the other, how to use, etc.If you're looking for a beautiful overview book on tomatoes, then this is it.But if you've become passionate about tomatoes and not only want an overview, but also require better instructions on the "how to" of growing and seeding and access to to more specific info on the varieties themselves then check out "100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden" which is beautiful as well.

This book doesn't have any valuable information in it. I love to read about tomatoes, but this is a waste. I didn't lose too much money b/c I bought it cheap, but it is just disappointing.

This book is like it says - a book about tomatoes: how to choose them, how to grow them, and how to cook them. The recipes look okay. However, it is long and skinny and does not like to stay open. I have found that that is a problem in all these skinny long books -hard to hold or lay flat to follow a recipe.

A really interesting book, giving details of an amazing range of (primarily American) varieties, and some very interesting recipes. The section on growing tomatoes is fairly basic, but as I have grown them for years, so not a problem for me. The author grows over 500 varieties on his California property, so clearly knows his stuff. Recommended.

This is a very good book for the great tomato glut that you get at the end of summer when you have been growing your own. Los of great ideas

useful