Ketchup anyone? : Puree pandemonium at annual tomato battle

[Kellanved]

BUNOL, Spain (Reuters) -- Blood-red streams of tomato juice oozed through the streets of the tiny Spanish town of Bunol Wednesday as tens of thousands of people hurled tons of squashy fruit in the world's biggest food fight.

"Fantabulous! It's the most exciting experience I've ever had with a group of people," Krista Moller, 19, from San Francisco, said.

With a thundering firework at midday signaling the start of the "Tomatina," five trucks dumped 120 tons of plum tomatoes into Bunol's narrow central street where 35,000 people were expectantly awaiting the ammunition.

Locals and visitors from around the globe lobbed the tomatoes at each other and, when the fruit turned to puree, reached down to whisk red froth into the air. The "People's Square" filled with the acidic sweet smell of tomatoes and slimy stained bodies.

...
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/08/27/offbeat.tomatina.reut/

[SaveABug]

1. Sounds like fun, but

it's food, man. It's food.

[Kellanved]

2. Yes it is

But there are thousands of tons of tomatoes produced in excess. Those tomatoes are destroyed one way or another to keep the prices at an acceptable level.


Edit: It is one of the major arugements against GM; there is no need to destroy even more food.

[SaveABug]

3. They should be shipped to the tomato loving peoples of the world

like me. Oh the pain they must have endured. :)

[Karenina]

5. AND

the Spanish ones are actual REAL tomatoes that smell and taste like tomatoes. Year-round we get this doo-dah masquerading as tomato from Holland- firm, color-coded, tasteless yuk on this soylent green/ chartreuse vine. (You should see the peppers! Ope 'em up and they have mutant tumors growing in them!!!!) But, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY the ITALIEN VINE-RIPENED TOMATOES ARE IN THE PIPELINE!!!

The way we disrespect the orb that sustains us and the food she provides us is quite disgusting, eh?

[Kellanved]

7. The Holland-tomatoes are actually better

The Dutch learned from their mistakes.
The Spanish tomatoes contain pesticides in dangerous levels - I wouldn't buy them (nor would my Spanish aunt).


For really good tomatoes I try to get French/and or organic - can't always afford it though.

[Maple]

4. Now you know why there was the

(cue the dramatic music).... 'Attack of the Killer Tomatoes'!!

[The Sushi Bandit]

6. Here is one!