Go Ahead Make My ...Sauce?

Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red Tomato












Gary Ibsen, who goes by the name of "Tomato Man", and is perhaps the most prolific tomato-geek of our time, has named a new variety of tomato "Clint Eastwood Rowdy Red", after the Rowdy Yates character the actor himself once portrayed.

According to Ibsen...
"This is one of those big, bold tasting tomatoes that is not for sissies. Although it has some of the highest sugar levels I've ever seen from a tomato, the sweetness is in the background and its fruity flavors are balanced beautifully with plenty of acidity, earthy nuances and complexity. It's a perfect tomato for eating fresh or canning."
We asked Ibsen for photos of the new pistol-packing tomato but he hasn't responded. His website says he'll be unveiling it to the public at the 14th Annual Carmel TomatoFest on September 11.

The tomato was actually developed by a man named Archie Millett, now 81 years old and living in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Archie claims to have been enjoying this Nightshade variety for years, and only now decided to bless the rest of the world with the finest of salsa and marinara makings.

Ibsen named the new tomato after Clint Eastwood to pay tribute to the actor's contributions to the Carmel-Monterey region of California. It's probably the best way he knows how.