Yes, We Have No Tomatoes!
67Taco With Tomatoes, What An Idea!
Taco Bell - Losing Tomatoes
BeefSteak Tomatoes, Going, Going, Gone
Where's The Beef?
A Little Too Late, How About Inspecting BEFORE They Ship Them??
Enjoy This Song as you Think of Tomatoes
Fast Food Tomatoes, Gone!
Help!
Someone should investigate! We seem to be missing tomatoes, everywhere!
I've looked. It's getting serious. Forget politics, look for the tomatoes!!
I just left Taco Bell, and they haven't seen them either. They sure weren't hiding on my taco, nor tucked into my burrito; come to think of it, McDonald's has also left them out of their salad and McFeast burger, sniffle.
Well, I don't eat McDonald's and seldom Taco Bell except for the occasional taco crave. So, I'm probably the last to know about the missing tomatoes. I have them at my back door in a container pot thanks to Bob Ewing and my man, Lynn.
Maybe I should take them in a zippy bag next taco visit and sprinkle them on my taco...do you think they'd kick me out?
There's got to be something wrong with us! We can land on Mars but not have safe tomatoes on tacos. I don't know about you, but that's upsetting.
When I asked for a taco with tomatoes, you would have thought I had asked them to give me the pin number for their debit card. With mouth gaping, the order-taker-at-the-counter gasped, "We don't have tomatoes!!" Like, I was supposed to know that! It's Florida! That's like being out of oranges.
"No tomatoes?" I repeated.
"No!" she exclaimed indignantly.
"Ok, gee. I didn't know. There's some at the fruit stand down the street, you want me to go pick you up some?" I offered. I mean, after all, it was for my taco. No sacrifice too great.
"Huh? I don't think we can do that. They have to come from corporate." She was really into this explanation, and teaching me about fast food regulations. Fascinating.
"Ohhh, Corporate tomatoes. I've never heard of those kind, but ok. When do you expect them?" I asked hopefully. I was really hungry and what's a taco without tomatoes? Peanut Butter/Jelly sandwich without the jelly? Eggs without bacon? Toast without butter? I could go on, but I think I'm gaining weight here.
"Not for weeks. We don't know. Hard to tell. Have no idea. They're diseased, you know. Still want the taco?" She was anything, if not helpful.
"Uh, well, sure." I was hungry. Cravin' tacos is a frequent occurrence for me.
As I ate my thin, sad-looking, and bland taco, I reached for the hot sauce packet. Hm. Must be made in China with non-corporate tomatoes, because it was red and the ingredients did list the forbidden-hard-to-get-tomato. Shhhh, Let's not tell them.
What can we do?
Memories of childhood meals on my uncle's farm came back as I chewed slowly, trying to find some flavor in my bite of non-tomato taco. Sitting down at Aunt Gussies table was a feast for the eyes. Every single meal had big plates of sliced "extras."
Tomatoes were ever present. Big thick slices of red, juicy fruit. They didn't call them beefsteak for nothing. It never occurred to Aunt Gussie to serve a meal without plates of tomatoes, sliced onions, cucumbers, and the ever present pickles. I can still picture her puzzled face as one day the plate of tomatoes disappeared quickly and by the time Uncle Finley sat down, there were no tomatoes!
He cleared his throat and looked up. Quickly, and without a word, Aunt Gussie went out the creaking screen door with apron swinging. I heard the garden gate slam and within seconds she was back, rinsing a big handful of red fruit off and slicing them lickety-split - Uncle Finley had his tomatoes.
Farmers were always prepared. In the land before Doppler, weather was predicted by gut feelings and night skies, and of course the Farmer's Almanac. Vegetables from the garden were canned during the long growing season, so food was plentiful in winter.
They were NEVER WITHOUT TOMATOES. ‘Scuse the yell.
I don't know much about the FDA, or even imports from China. But, I do wonder, if tomatoes were growing down the street, and they're free from disease here, why can't corporate let the locals get them from their own areas, so tomatoes can be included on my taco? Or is that too simple?
So, if you're looking for a good investment, I'd say homegrown tomatoes might be a cash cow. You may not even have to wash them before selling as the FDA doesn't seem to be too picky.
Got to go, I' going to go slice a tomato and grab the salt and pepper.
Yes, We Have No Tomatoes! in the News
- Reviewing top medical stories of last 10 yearsThe Alexandria Town Talk4 days ago
Editor's note: This is one in a series looking back at the past decade.
- The decade in health: New bugs, scary food, bad drugsUSA Today6 days ago
A far-from-comprehensive list of the decade's medical news.
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Comments
I loved this hub. The world it´s now a strange and crazy place to live in :/ maybe when we start living on Mars we will have enough healthy tomatoes :D
You're right Patty and we have just regulated ourselves out of common sense. Everyone is concerned about the inevitable law suit by Mr. and Mrs. Crazy so we can't do easy things. I've mentioned before that absolutely safe meat was thrown away at a store in front of my face because it hadn't been sold in 3 days -- due to "regulations" they couldn't give it away for fear someone would sue over getting "ill." sigh.
I have to keep this news from my husband as he will use it as an excuse not to go out to dinner. "The Tomatoes aren't safe, Marisue" will be his cry!! grrrr.
(nothing better than home cooking, though...YUM!)
Hi funride!! A hot house on Mars full of veggies...sounds great to me! and what a trip to the "veggie stand" that would be!! Back in a few years, honey, I'm going for the tomatoes!! LOL
thanks for reading and commenting as always!!
Yet another thing wrong in our world. Credit card debt, home foreclosures, e. coli in spinach, war, etc....now we have to endure a time where there are no tomatoes. Things could be worse, but what's next?
I know byee ( Love your screen name, by the way - as I'm always saying "byeee" to someone when leaving...)
it does seem as though our life in America is turning upside down. But, remain optimistic. I'm the world's worst for giving up my small comforts...but it's not so hard if we replace them with another one. Homegrown anything is tasty and fun. I'm working on a hub about replacing Shopping Saturdays and long drives with Other Fun. I whine about changes. I love my Air Conditioned Soft Life and pleasure shopping the conveniences.
Overall I'm a simple non-complex creature with a few phobias and cushy habits. O well, so sue me, yes? But, changes-are-a-comin' and we might as well "gird up our loins" as the proverbial scripture says. thanks so much for reading and keep the faith! Think of our pioneer fathers and mothers...they did it, we can get through this!
Does, NAFTA, OR doing business with China sound faimilar. I wrote a HUb about the price of doing business with China, about a month ago.
Very few read it. If we keep on ignoring the potential consequences of letting these politicians make hay while the sun shines; at our expense. Yes we will have no tomatos and a lot more.
Time to get smart is running out. Can't even afford to go, grocery shopping let alone to Disney World.
Great Hub.
OK, one question: Who's the hot sheila in the picture and what has she done with our Marisue?
Corporate tomatoes? Screw 'em, says I!!! I got my tomatoes from the new Famers Market in the museum parking lot just last weekend. I'd forgotten what a REAL tomato smelled and tasted like. Something to be said for a smaller town.
Great hub, M!
Marisue, formerly buried under the papers on her desk, has now left the earth. She's headed for Mars, on a tomato quest and all things made in America.
Next hub: "All Thinks Made In America!" and don't even THINK about stealing that title...! I'm watchin' you constant!!
Roland, I'm off to read your hub, thanks so much for reading mine. all these foreign trade laws seemed so unimportant years ago. I don't think people don't care, but now we must be actively caring. "Anxiously Engaged" says Elder Marvin J. Ashton.
We can no longer merely care at a distance. (My paraphrasing.) We have trusted too many for too long to do too much on our behalf with too little supervision by us, the people.
thanks for the comments...I feel another HUB coming along...
"All Thinks Made In America"? I don't get it... 8-)
I noticed this at subway and I was sort of sad. However, it is probably better to grow you our own anyway. My parents do that, I guess I should start too. Great hub!
all things made in america constant...I'm on a mission for anything made in America...they aren't on our shelves....so I was thinking maybe Mars... ya know? quit drinkin' the koolaide! =) ahahah
Hey if we can't have tomatoes at least we get to look at you without that pile of papers stacked on your desk. Actually my pile is much higher than yours was.
Here in south Louisiana we are not without tomatoes. We have the home grown Creoles ... the very best tomatoe grown .... and FDA has given our tomatoes a clean bill of health.
SweetiPie, were you thinking "OMG, another problem!" me too. everyday there is war, rumors of war, pestilence...." now I always wondered what pestilence meant...and I keep looking it up and forgetting it, so in case any one like me wonders...here's the definition, but only one of many...
pestilence - any epidemic disease with a high death rate pest, plague --epidemic disease - any infectious disease that develops and spreads rapidly to many people
so, I'm thinking pestilence is prevailing... yes? but do not fear... take action and speak out! =)
Hi, John!! Yes, I stuck the papers in a drawer....LOL that now won't open and O Well,
I'm glad you have some great tomatoes...I don't believe I've eaten those...but a tomato in any color or name is great to me!! Could you send some for my tacos??
I'm with Constant Walker on this one (and yes your photo IS hot!)--Corporate tomatoes aren't really tomatoes anyway, so whatever soylent green they were made out of is now tainted? Good! Stupid corporate tomatoes.
I put in 21 tomato plants this year, so come July I should have tomatoes for everyone at Hub Pages. (They probably don't mail well though).
Great hub!
we can call them squashed tomatoes. Bring 'em on! YUM
HOT? wow, I'm dancing all the way home from work on that compliment!!! THANK YOU!. LOL
I know, pgrundy, isn't she?
Corporate "farm" tomatoes are gene-modified to make them redder, bigger and shinier, but like gene-modified roses that have no aroma (what's the point?!), these faux-tomatoes have no aroma or taste. Screw 'em!!!
Find a farm nearby -if you don't have a Farmer's Market in your city or town- and get some REAL ones. They're delicious! You'll never go back...
I'm with Patty, canned for me right now...all the bad-stuff boiled out of them. BUT hubby and I did go buy tomato plants, and peppers of all sizes and herbs...we thought downsizing here in CA we wouldn't be gardening like this...but yikes! Check out these other issues I wrote about just weeks ago! http://hubpages.com/hub/Another-food-recall and http://hubpages.com/hub/Dangerous-Cereals both deal with recalls here in USA, and neither has to do with China...it's a scary food world we live in!
We have no problems in Carolina so far but it may change. I think it is time to grow it ourselves. Another Bush clone will be deadly to this country.
What a good hub... great read... thank you.
Fun hub. It is odd to get a taco without tomatoes. At least having a sense of humor is still safe for your health.
haha! great hub and lets not forget the scare of 'green onions better known as chives' . What's hot souce without tomatos? What's a baked potato loaded without Chives? It's a crisis, how am I going to grow my own tomatos when I live in an Apartment? *panics*
Constant - Yessir! Homegrown always !! Made in America Veggies! =)
desert b - Fla Tomatoes are supposed to be ok, but the ones in my container at my back door are yummy! I will read your 2 hubs, and yes, I think we're all realizing we're in an out of control spot...what has happened to our food inspections?? no LEADERSHIP!! we've been 'bush-whacked!' - we need to be wise and plant as much as we can ourselves!! I hear ya on that one. dig up the grass and plant food!! =)
cgull -- yes!! no more bushes...please dear god....=0
tracijoy- thanks for reading!! come back soon - have you planted your tomatoes?? =)
dsletten, thanks so much for reading and so far, laughter is legal...don't know about tomoro tho' LOL I love penguins....
Nickel, thanks for laughing and reading and commenting...green onions, spinach, beef, !! scared to eat anything and isn't that what some may say is the plan?? or is that paranoid of me?? plant container tomatoes - in a sunny window... see Bob Ewing's hubs...he's a great gardner and others too on hubs...
Good news. I just saw on the news that Yum, Inc. the partent company of Taco Bell has started to re-supply its outlets with tomatoes. So you should have tomatoes for your half-eaten Taco really soon.
If you need/want some Creoles while you are waiting, let me know. I'll be happy to send you some.
Yum, Inc ?? How funny, John!! You are a fountain of information!! I had no idea they were associated. How "yummy!" LOL my tacos are saved! Corporate tomatoes are on their way!! I do want some creoles at least a picture. LOL
Great Hub I enjoyed it very much...fantastic read.
annaw -- thanks so much for stopping by and reading..come back soon! we are all planting our collective hub garden now...haha
Marisue,
You never fail to give me a smile when I read your hubs. The way you tell a story is wonderful! I am with you, I love tomatoes! Fried green ones are a favorite of mine...Yum ;-) Guess I better start growing my own too. I'm not eating tacos without them...lol
Carol
awww Cvaughn570, you just have no idea how much your words meant to me today. The gods sent you....I needed to hear just what you said. I'm in the middle of writing that all important book, and I was frustrated- and there you popped into my hub!
thank you so much!! I love friend green tomatoes...they taste a bit like fried okra, a southern favorite of ours. Together, they make a meal. I am cooking like a mad woman today. It's what I do when I'm stressed!! I've got to go stir the chicken and dumplings and the enchiliada mole sauce. Made from scratch I'll have to share the recipe soon.
Again, thanks for stopping by - you made my day. Marisue is smiling at you!!
Oh my, I had to reply and tell you that I love Okra too!!!!! People here in Michigan turn up their nose and say "yuck". They just don't know what they are missing. My dad is from Tennessee and I grew up loving it.
Sounds like you are making a great feast....I can taste it now ;-)
I am glad that I made you smile :-)
Tell ya what, you keep writing and I'll keep reading.
Have a Fantastic Day,
Carol
I'm counting on you to buy my upcoming book. LOL You're now committed.
Yes, fried okra is wonderful. I cut it fairly thin, roll it in flour, then cornmeal and then plop in the hot grease...fry it crisp and quick. with tomatoes, and anything else. it's scrumptious. Lots of salt of course, eeek. that part isn't good for ya, however, if you cut back somewhere else on the salt, it's worth it. good to see you here and I'll go read your hubs too!!
Save a Tomato. eat a snickers
Well, they do say that chocolate also has anti-inflammatories and so it's good for us....bring on the snickers and the milky way's and the Kit Kats, and the Butterfingers....(I'm snickering.....) you ARE so FUNNY!! =)
Snacks without Tomatoes? I don't like that taste...
Got To Love 'em specially homegrown....thanks a lot for reading and come back soon!!
Good hub, I finally got my tomatoes back last week and they were delicious!
Hi Karen, tomatoes are making a comeback! Now, where are the peppers?? and I'm not sure if we can tell if they're from mexico always....sure can't trust the food, now! thanks for reading!!=)
LOL marisue! I had the EXACT same thought when I pulled up to the drivethru window at my local Taco Bell one day for a much anticipated "Crunch Wrap" (love them things!) and there was a sign, handwritten and stuck to the pick up window. "We do NOT have tomatoes. All items will be served without tomatos."
It just wasn't the same *sniffle* Sure it still had that crunch...and it was wrapped...but it didn't taste right.
My family also grew their own tomatoes...and served them sliced by the plateful. Nothing beat coming home, plucking one of those tempting fruit/vegetable/whatever...straight from the plant and eating it like an apple.
Of course, now I hear the same fate has befallen the jalapeno pepper. And while I've never been a big jalapeno pepper popper, living in Arizona...I'm sure it's having a huge impact with all of the Mexican restaurants we have.
Fun hub...but then I've come to expect no less from you! :)
I'm the queen of my local farmsstand these days,Marisue and my condolences on your taco:-) Hey--you were so great to give me a link to the homegrown tomatoes song for my hub on the Jersey tomato, I thought I'd give it back to you for this hub. Click on the link to hear it :-) Thumbs up!
hi spryte...i'm beginning to feel old as everything I encounter gives me a moment of reflection and looking back to sweeter times.....and nothing is as good as homegrown tomatoes!! I love peppers too!
I'm always glad when you read -- thank you!!
robie2 we are local farmstand junkies too!! In fact, ours closed down for 2 weeks for some unknown reason...(they didn't ask us or anything, sniffle) and we went thru horrid withdrawal....come to find out they went on a vacation or something can you IMAGINE!!
I included the link, it's perfect for this...I forgot all about it!! thanks !!!! =)) so glad you stopped by and I THANK YOU.
I dunno, Our local stand costs more then going to the grocery store. I paid $2.25 for two tomatoes and that was local?. I tried to grow tomatoes in my yard this year and they didn't set fruit--got lots of blooms, but no fruit. The neighbor who works for a pond store said that all his customers were wondering why thier tomotoes weren't growing either. Something is not right here.
Oh and on that tomatoe thing, they said that it was the peppers and now they are back to the lettuce.
You are right--why can't we have these things inspected BEFORE they ship them--isn't that what the lettuce scare did! Why aren't they using it! Why can't we have local produce kept in local areas. I understand about the free trade and all that--but if it messes up our health who cares about trade from any other country!! Let them keep their taintied fruit and vegetables.
The problem with local fruit stands is sometimes they're not. Local. They purchase from vendors who get their products from "mysterious places" -- probly have to shop around. I think shipping from california to florida and florida to calif is for pricing. You know "they" end up controlling everything... I haven't really figured out who "THEY" is yet...
happy vegetable hunting!! =0 =)
This is really enlightening.... but not good news!
Well, our food distribution's safety has now come into question....just another reason we can't trust our established government entities. We've got to make it better somehow.
here's to safe eating. =) thanks for reading and commenting
I think everyone should try gardening--container, in a plot or in their own yards. I remember hearing once that everyone should do this for their own food source. I read or heard somewhere about the plight we are going to have with the weather and the governments taking away our privaledges--not the exact words but something to that fact. I heard it about 3 years ago or so. This might have been another scare tactic but I am beginning to see it happening right now with the food recalls ans such.
Hi Lady guinevere!! I agree!! It is very wise to get back to basics and be providing for some of our own needs...the more the wiser. thank you for adding that!@ and come back soon!!!
Interesting hub about our food source woes. It has recently been peanuts and now pistacios that seem to be tainted. Always something! I recently ripped out some old kalanchoes and planted radishes, swiss chard, spinach, rutabagas and bush beans in addition to a bunch of herbs. My green peppers are producing and I am thinking about digging up more ground for other veggies.
Years ago I had a huge garden up north. Only my husband and I.........so we helped feed many other families. The first year I planted 43 tomato plants.
Hey, pgrundy, put me on your list for extras!
With our economy in it's current state, not only would people not have to worry about contaminants from other sources if they start growing some of their own food, but the cost savings will add up.
Victory Gardens were in vogue during World War 2..........maybe it is time for everyone to start gardening again.
Hi Pegg W -- I can't wait to get back to gardening in Oklahoma...we've had gardens many times and tho' it's work, it's pleasurable and "fruitful" - something for everyone. We're also going to raise chickens! Tho' I do tend to make pets of the little cluckers. =))
Patty Inglish, MS says:
2 years ago
I am sticking to canned tomatoes with peppers, until the tomato plague is over. Thanks very much for the Hub! You're right -- Stick with home grown tomotoes and the US may be safer.
Taco Bell, McDonalds et. al likely have to stick with vegetable purveyors that are approved by Headquaters' legal contracts, or they would be in breach, sued and perhaps closed down. More cooking at home is needed with good food perhaps. With the price increases, I rarely go out anymore. The poor quality and poor service here is not worth it.