Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
There are days like this!
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
We were up early, caffeinated, and trying to convince our brains that yes—today is a big deal. Because today is Tomatomania.We’re rolling in with Miss Robin, Chef Bob, and Dianne (a.k.a. the Tomato Task Force). After we bravely choose our future vine-covered roommates, we’re celebrating our excellent decision-making with lunch at The Farmhouse.
While getting ready to go, I got a reminder that it was eight years ago today that I visited my dear aunt Kaye for the last time. She was an amazing woman whom I dearly loved, but was failing and was just moved to a care facility in Stockton, California. We went up to see her several times, but when COVID hit, we were not allowed to go into the facility. She passed during the opening months of COVID due to old age. I have stories about her that I often share with friends.
RIP Aunt Kaye Hale 1919-2019
Cruising to Costa Mesa in The Grey Ghost (our van that haunts the fast lane at a firm 62 mph), we were all chatting and swapping stories like we were on a very low-budget podcast.
Then I, for reasons that can only be explained by overconfidence and seatbelts, casually dropped the question, “So you want to hear my recent fantasy!”
The van got so quiet, I’m pretty sure the air conditioning stopped to listen.
We rolled in right at 1:00 pm and, as if by divine intervention, were assigned a handicap spot right next to the door. Between my back, Robin’s knee, and Mary’s foot, we weren’t looking for “nearby parking” so much as a medically necessary docking station.
We grabbed two carts and entered the fray! We were after 18 plants, and we carefully selected 60% big tomatoes and 40% cherry or cherry-like tomatoes. We are getting better at this every year. Mary and I wore our “Tomatomania T-Shirts,” and the artist who designed them came over to introduce himself.
“Ookie ookie, I have a good one!!” Ookie ???
The girls were on a mission to find the perfect plants—inspecting, judging, and generally acting like members of the Botanical Supreme Court. And just when we thought we were done, they spotted some gorgeous peppers and said, “Yep, these are coming home with us,” and into the cart they went.
Making our selections!
As we wandered through a jungle of tomato plants, we were decked out head-to-toe in the official Tomatomania uniforms—looking like a highly trained produce task force. Mary even had a Tomatomania hat… which somehow made her look both in charge and one step away from being recruited by “The Big Tomato”.
We were iin our Tomatomania uniforms!
We walked around and visited the flowers, but we will likely end up at Home Depot, as the prices are about 50% less (for flowers).
Members of the Supreme Court of the Tomato Patch!
Around 3:00 pm, we headed to The Farmhouse, where we had reservations for lunch. While sitting in the “foyer”, we slugged down a glass of vino and chatted with one another. At the appropriate time, we were escorted to our table beneath the famous gazebo.
The original 1955 Disneyland bandstand/gazebo was designed for Town Square but was moved multiple times—to near the Castle, then Magnolia Park in Adventureland—because it obstructed views, before being removed in 1962. It was famously spared destruction and relocated to Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar.
In its original locations at Roger’s Gardens.
The city of Anaheim planned to throw it away around 1975, but Roger’s Gardens rescued it, where it still stands today.
We did NOT need the heater today!!!
The menu is quite eclectic, and the presentations are amazing.
A dictionary would have been helpful!
There is food underneath the greenery!
We ordered a cauliflower steak to share, as Dianne had not heard of such a thing!
They’re called cauliflower steaks because the shape and general appearance are rather, well, steak-like. The name is also an indicator of which cooking methods to try—any way you might cook a steak can be used for cauliflower steaks, too. You see, cauliflower is a pretty hearty vegetable.
Delicious!!
Dianne had a difficult time deciding, but finally decided a sandwich would be just fine!
The Farmhouse mission is to support local artisanal and boutique producers who are conscious of what goes into their products and how they are produced. From farmers and fishermen to wine and spirits makers, our food is created through the careful sourcing of only the best ingredients. Our simple, flavorful, and creative dishes are not only inspired by the ingredients themselves, but also by the network of friends who supply us with the quality ingredients that Farmhouse is known for.
I was so good we didn’t even get offered a fry!!
It was about time to go home with our tummies full and the Grey Ghost loaded with plantables!
Bye Bye!
Not Yet!!!! Behind door three was a cheesecake dessert, oh my! It was almost too pretty to eat!
You could almost hear the dessert sing, “I am pretty, I am pretty.”
Bob also had a good-looking dessert. Mary and I gained three pounds just looking at it!
All four of them are good-looking!
Bob drove home while I jogged beside the van—strictly to keep my weight under 190. I was doing great… right up until he cranked it up to a blistering 2 miles an hour.
Dianne headed home, and Bob and Robin hung around a little longer to “conversate” (because apparently we’re also making up words tonight).
We watched some “Suits” before crashing around 11:00 pm.
