“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins”
“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins” is a food saying that has been printed on many images. The saying means that tomatoes are indispensable.
American author Laurie Colwin (1944-1992) wrote the tomatoes quotation for Gourmet magazine in 1992, and it was also printed in her posthumous book, More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen (1993). The quotation is frequently—and incorrectly—credited to Colwin’s earlier book, Home Cooking (1988).
Wikipedia: Laurie Colwin
Laurie Colwin (June 14, 1944 – October 24, 1992) was an American writer who wrote five novels, three collections of short stories and two volumes of essays and recipes. She was known for her portrayals of New York society and her food columns in Gourmet magazine.
Google Books
Gourmet
Volume 52, Issues 7-12
1992
Pg. 87:
A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.
My own idea of pure bliss is the tomato sandwich, which is good on any kind of bread, from grainy imported vollkornbrot to suave, textureless semolina.
Amazon.com
More Home Cooking:
A Writer Returns to the Kitchen
By Laurie Colwin
New York, NY: HarperCollins
1993
Pg. 110:
A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.
Google Books
Charles Wysocki’s Americana Cookbook
By Joni K. Miller
New York, NY: H.N. Abrams
1995
Pg. 32:
A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.
Laurie Colwin in Home Cooking
17 July 2002, Charleston (WV) Gazette, “Food Notes” by Bob Schwarz, pg. 3D:
“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.” - Laurie Colwin, Home Cooking
Google Groups: alt.quotations
June 28, 1820: Tomatoes are proven to be non-poisonous
TheSanityInspector
6/28/03
A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.
—Laurie Colwin, _Home Cooking_
23 June 2004, Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram, pg. 3E, col. 2:
“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.”—Laurie Colwin
Google Books
In Praise of Tomatoes:
Tasty Recipes, Garden Secrets, Legends & Lore
By Ronni Lundy
New York, NY: lark Books
2006
Pg. 28:
“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.” -There are few who would disagree with these words Irom the late author. Laurie Colwin. writing in Home Cooking. a collection of her food essays from Gourmet.
Twitter
Naples FL Restaurant
@NaplesTomato
“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.”
Laurie Colwin, Home Cooking
8:15 PM - 8 Jul 2009
Google Books
Ripe:
A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables
By Cheryl Sternman Rule
Philadelphia, PA: Running Press Book Publishers
2011
Pg. 63:
In her book More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen, beloved food writer Laurie Colwin compared a world without tomatoes to a string quartet without violins. I would modify Colwin’s analogy by adding the word good. A world without good tomatoes to a string quartet without violins.
Twitter
Cas Gasi Ibiza
@CasGasi_Ibiza
“A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.” - Laurie Colwin, ‘Home Cooking’ - These beauties just came into the kitchen from our organic garden! #casgasi #onlyatcasgasi #ibizahotel #ibizaboutiquehotel #boutiquehotel #ibiza #ibiza2018 #organic
7:35 AM - 10 Jul 2018