Yes, We Have No Bananas....

There are few things in life which strike fear into me, as much as a tomato. 
 
This book is mine.  

It's twenty years old.... Yes It was given to me as an adult, and I will confess that my dread of tomatoes is such, that I have not opened the book, (i've maybe peered inside.... but I have a horrible feeling that the outcome is not good;  I fear Lola gives in and eats a tomato). 

Imagine the horror that having this ripening box of tomatoes in the house (and next to it is a box of green tomatoes)... 

Thing is, himself grew these tomatoes, which come with perhaps 5 or 6 seeds per tomato specifically for me.  He will peel them, boil them and then create the most amazing tomato sauce for pasta, and chili sauce.  

The sauce is delish. And not a seed insight. 

When i was 12, i used to work in a restaurant in town.  I prepped veggies - plated starters, dosh up desserts.   I did all I could at any time to avoid having to cut tomatoes; if it fell to me, I had to do this "out of body" thing to get me through it. 

Through my teen and university years - my friends knew the rigmarole.  If we were out for a meal - and the plate appeared with tomatoes.....they'd reach over remove them and drop them on their plate.   (Some of them even had the horror of doing that automatically when out with someone else). 

It's not the redness, it's not the taste.  Its the seeds.  I struggle with the seeds in peppers too, but not to the same extent. 

One year, I was on holiday, and I came back from the beach, very, very burnt.   

The waiter working the pool bar told me he had just the thing - I should lay down on the sunbed and he would put something on my burnt skin to remove the pain. 

I lay there, face down and felt a nice chilled sensation on my back and legs, and as the pain reduced in my arms, I looked up.... and there not 2 inches from my face was a bloody slice of beef  tomato, seeds dripping everywhere... 

I moved the fastest I have ever moved, straight off the front of the sunbed, knees and legs and arms going everywhere and straight into the pool. 

Wow  I got hell from the hotel manager for that one, whilst they fished out all of the tomatoes, but thank god I got them off.