Despite my notorious black thumb I’m attempting to grow my own caprese insalata on the roof deck. Okay, I'm just trying to grow the tomato and basil part, not the water buffalo mozzarella part, I'll buy the cheese at the farmer's market. And the olive oil, I'll buy the olive oil too.

I bought five Mr. Stripey a.k.a. Tigerella heirloom tomato plants. When I was a kid my Italian grandpa had a vegetable garden where he'd grow several types of tomatoes. He’d reluctantly planted a striped variety and wasn’t satisfied with the plant’s production and complained about it all the time. So one night my dad snuck into backyard and painted strips on the regular red tomatoes. The next day he’d convinced my grandpa that the tomatoes had spontaneously grown thick black stripes. So I couldn’t resist the Tigerallas when I saw them.

I don’t think I’ll keep all five but I planted all of them and when they have time to grow I’ll prune back or replant the extra plants. The roof deck is windy and the salty fog comes in about every other day but so far they seem happy.

They have a good view of the city.

Come watch 'em grow >>