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Many of you know about the 'Limbaugh Legacy Potato Top' project I started in 2000. The late Fred Limbaugh from Robinson introduced me to the tomato. Here's a story about that day. The project works like this. Send a self addressed stamped envelope to me at the PG and I send seeds back for this big, meaty, pink, ugly but tasty tomato. I've still got about 1000 envelopes sitting in my office from last spring. I'm waiting to get seeds back so I can fill the orders.

But Randy Soergel from Soergel's Orchards has been kind enough to grow a few flats of the tomato every year so Fred's family can continue his tradition of sharing the plants.

It's funny, because for the last couple years I've met one of Fred's daughters (Pat) in a parking lot to give her the plants. It looks like a drug deal as we are the only cars together in the outskirts of the lot. I think the cops would get a kick out of it as we passed the flats of tomatoes into her car.

I was thrilled to get this message from Pat last week.

Hi Doug,

Had to let you know that tonight we had our first Potato Tops of the season!  We had my sister, Sherri, over for our favorite sandwiches - fried egg & tomato on toasted Italian bread with Hellman's mayonnaise - THEY WERE FANTASTIC!  Honestly, it was well worth the long wait!  After dinner, we called my brother, Fred, in Florida.  I have to say that he was more than just a little envious.  That has always been our family's favorite (tomato) sandwich - with the exception of Dad of course, who never ate tomatoes!

We got the tomatoes this weekend at my brother (Jim's) - he always has a wonderful garden and always has a lot of luck with the tomato plants that you provide.

All of my family, and my co-workers at TSA thank you for the wonderful plants this year - everyone seems to be having a lot of luck with them.  Please thank Soergels for all that they have done also.  We certainly appreciate it.

Also, I wanted to let you know that Katrina (Dad's supposedly favorite granddaughter), will be growing Potato Tops next year in ARGENTINA - she and her husband are actually in the process of moving to Buenes Aires this week.  Growing Potato Tops in Chicago didn't work out so well for her again this year (possibly, because she lived on the 32nd floor of a high rise), but bless her stubborn little heart, she keeps on trying.

I thank you and of course my whole family thanks you.  You'll never know how much we appreciate all that you have done to keep Dad's wonderful tomatoes going.  Needless to say, I will be saving seeds from these great tomatoes!  I'll be glad to share them with you and all the folks that write to you requesting seeds.

I'm sure that you and your family are also enjoying your Potato Tops - have any recipes you would like to share?

Best regards,

Pat Serbicki (and the Limbaugh Family)

As far as recipes go, I think that sandwich the Limbaughs are making sounds like a winner. I think simple is better with these tomatoes.

My favorite way to eat them is chilled with a little ranch dressing. By the end of the meal there's a wonderful combination of tomato flesh and juice mixed with diluted ranch dressing which finishes of the meal in style.

I wonder how everyone else uses their Limbaugh tomatoes. Any recipes?

I'm not sure I can put into words how wonderful it's been to keep this tomato alive. It grows all over the country and the world. I can't wait to see how Katrina does with plants in Argentina.

I hope the legacy of Fred Limbaugh lives on forever! He was a wonderful man who is missed.

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