Tomatomania!A Fresh Approach to Celebrating Tomatoes in the Garden and in the Kitchen

SCOTT DAIGRE, avid gardener, sometimes farmer and enthusiastic landscape designer, is happiest when showcasing rare and classic tomato varieties as owner and producer of Tomatomania, the world’s largest tomato seedling sale. 

JENN GARBEE is a food and culture journalist, editor, and burgeoning ‘maniac in Los Angeles. She is a regular contributor to numerous publications, the author of Secret Suppers, and co-author of several lifestyle books and chef cookbooks.

“The definitive guide for beginning one’s own exciting tomato odyssey.” —Chef Claud Mann, host of Dinner & a Movie on TBS (from the Foreword)

“It’s been over twenty years since the infancy of Tomatomania. Scott and I have worked hard to continue the excitement each year providing seedling starts, conducting educational lectures and Tomato Tastings. This continued energy has made Scott and Tomatomania the talk of the town. The hundreds of tomato varieties Tomatomania provides creates a hysteria among gardeners who can’t wait for Tomatomania events to open near their homes. As one of their original suppliers I learned and watched this hysteria grow to where it currently is today. The responses that Tomatomania received during the plant sale demanded multiple deliveries of fresh seedlings each day.” —Steve Goto, expert tomato nurseryman, consultant, and lecturer

“Fruit geeks and tomatomaniacs rejoice! This lovely book has managed to capture the excitement, passion and deep understanding of all things tomato in its pages, going well beyond the ‘how-to’ and into ‘hell-yeah!’ territory. For those of us who have held close the special tradition of springtime Tomatomania outings across California, we can now share their joy and subsequent bounty in all their glory.”—Rick Nahmias, founder/executive director, Food Forward

“The only thing more colorful than the heirloom tomatoes that Scott loves to grow is Scott himself. For the past two decades, he’s devoted himself to introducing gardeners nationwide to the wildest, best-tasting and yes—most colorful—love apples they’ve ever seen. (Or make that ‘never seen’ until Scott handed them their first robust Chocolate Stripes.) With his trusty companion Sam, Scott fights the never-ending battle for truth, justice and Tomatomania! Hi-Ho Heirlooms!” —Mike McGrath, DC area radio personality, host of You Bet Your Garden on NPR

“These Tomatomaniacs are crazy! I’ve never seen the kind of energy that surrounds this summer prize and the people who work so hard to grow them.  Grow your own, grow it right and it ends up delighting you in the kitchen!” —Jimmy Shaw, Chef at Loteria Grill Los Angeles

“As any gardener knows, early spring is the time for crazed tomato eaters to think way ahead to the process of identifying seeds or plants, preparing the ground and finally setting your hopes out in the garden.  It’s such an optimistic endeavor knowing that summertime will yield a bumper crop of juicy red or yellow, black or green, perfect or strangely shaped orbs to grace tables for weeks or even months to come. Scott Daigre and his lively crew of Tomatomaniacs fulfill the mission each year of  transforming tomato eaters into successful tomato gardeners. His monster sales each spring are a wakeup call to once again begin the cycle from plant to fruit.  How wonderful that the combined knowledge of this stellar group, so generously shared at the plant sales, is finally available to everyone.” —Evan Kleiman, Los Angeles Chef and Host of KCRW’s Good Food