My father always said, "l love cucumbers, but they don't love me." It was all those seeds that didn't agree with his digestive tract. When plant breeders introduced seedless, or burpless, cucumbers he once again could enjoy them.

There's a reason plantsmen have released watermelons, grapes and now a tomato without seeds, says George Ball Jr., chairman of W. Atlee Burpee and Co. "Seedlessness is a desired outcome in vegetables and fruits, generally speaking. That's not only because of the flavor or the grit. It's also for folks suffering from various intestinal disorders."

For the past few years he's worked closely with breeders to create a tomato that is completely seed-free. The breakthrough came this season with the release of 'Sweet Seedless.' It's a hybrid tomato that produces 8- to 10-ounce red, round, juicy tomatoes a little bigger than baseballs.

There are tomatoes that produce only a few seeds, or in some cases no seeds, that have been around for years. Fifty to 75 percent of 'Gold Nugget' tomatoes are seedless, but the only way to know is to cut the fruit open. Many heirloom tomatoes are meaty with few seeds, and sauce tomatoes such as Burpee's 'Big Mama' are bred to have as few seeds as possible.

'Oregon Spring' and its cousins from the Oregon series often will not set seed, and 'Opalka' is an heirloom that has few seeds.

Mr. Ball says there are lots of people who have to pick the seeds out of a dish with tomatoes and can no longer enjoy one of life's treasures -- home-grown tomatoes. The 'Sweet Seedless' will be a benefit to people suffering from diverticulitis as well as patients recovering from surgery.

In the kitchen, 'Sweet Seedless' will make processing easier -- no more deseeding first -- but Mr. Ball discourages use of this tomato for sauce. Its center is gelatinous and better suited for sandwiches, salads and just plain eating in the garden. Sometimes the interior of the tomato will produce a few little seed-like things, which are aborted seeds without a seed coat.

Donato Coluccio, executive chef/partner at Capital Grille Pittsburgh, is old school when it comes to tomatoes. "Some people strain their red sauce. I usually don't. I actually like the seeds and the pulp inside a tomato. That's what a tomato's all about."

But he understands his customers' health concerns and will do whatever it takes to prepare a dish they can enjoy. He sees the seedless tomato as something that will help attract customers who until now couldn't enjoy tomato dishes unless they were specially prepared.

Whether it's an old-fashioned heirloom tomato, modern hybrid or even a seedless tomato, he says, there's nothing better than fresh fruit picked from the field. "If a tomato is ripe and in season that's the best damn thing there is. All you have to add to that is something as simple as good olive oil, good salt and good vinegar. That's all you need -- less is more."

Creating a seedless tomato is a complicated breeding process. It involves crossing and back-crossing parents to produce something called parthenocarpy. It's the production of fruit without fertilization. Scientists

have seen this occur in nature with tomatoes but not consistently. Once the hybridizing process is perfected for a variety, it can be duplicated.

Creating a seedless tomato that tastes good and looks beautiful is even more difficult. Parthenocarpic fruits are known to be small and low in acid. They also can be deformed when grown under cool conditions, which often happens with 'Oregon Spring.'

Tom Chinchilla, 81, has gardened at his Economy home for the past 45 years but for the past 10 he hasn't been able to enjoy seedy vegetables due to diverticulitis.

He's had good luck with seedless cucumbers and grows lettuce, bunching onions and tomatoes along the side of the house. Eating any of those tomatoes, though, has become an ordeal. "We have to take the seeds out, scrape them all out. It's a pain in the neck. You don't have too much left," he said with a laugh. He hopes 'Sweet Seedless' will make it easy for him to enjoy tomatoes again.

Five years ago, Uldine Musca, 82, was diagnosed with diverticulitis.

She grew up on a 100-acre farm in West Virginia, enjoying fresh tomatoes warm out in the field. Now she gardens on a 50-by-100 foot plot in Penn Hills filled with many plants she can't enjoy anymore. "I grow most of it to give away," she says. Her garden is filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, squash and more. The only tomato she eats out of the garden is a 'Roma' and then only after removing the center seed cavities.

The prospect of 'Sweet Seedless' tomatoes has her longing for warm summer days in the garden. "It would be wonderful to taste that flavor again, to be able to slice them and eat them on a sandwich or in a salad."

In August there was a clandestine tasting of the tomato for Burpee employees, many skeptical that 'Sweet Seedless' would pass muster.

Burpee spokeswoman Kristin Grilli, who grew up in Washington, Pa., was there at the company's Fordhook Farm in Doylestown for the tasting. It reminded her of watching her grandfather eat this homegrown tomatoes on the front porch every summer.

"He always ate them as you would an apple, but he added a bit of salt with his salt shaker before every bite. I imagine that if he was here today, he'd really like 'Sweet Seedless.'

"It's so good it doesn't need much on it, maybe just a bit of salt."

'Sweet Seedless' is available to grow from seed or by ordering plants from Burpee. Starting from seed is easy with the right tools. Use seed-starting mix, not potting soil, and have a good light source, such as fluorescent shop lights hanging just an inch from the top of the plants.

Seeds or plants can be ordered at burpree.com or by calling 1-800-888-1447.

To see a slide show detailing how to start seeds, log on to www.post-gazette.com/pg/06072/669572.stm.

Doug Oster can be reached at doster@post-gazette.com or 724-772-9177.

Tomato Basil Salad

Donato Coluccio practices what he preaches -- less is more, when it comes to fresh tomatoes -- with this salad.

• 2 fresh ripe tomatoes,
• 2 ounces buffalo mozzarella sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 teaspoons fresh basil chiffonade
• 2 tablespoons quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (Chef Coluccio recommends 12-year-old)
• Fresh cracked pepper to taste
• Sea salt to taste
  
  

  Slice 1 tomato into 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick slices. Lay slices on a plate. Dice the other tomato.

  Atop the sliced tomatoes, layer mozzarella, diced tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Drizzle vinegar, then olive oil over the dish.

  Serves 1.

  -- Chef Donato Coluccio

  First published on March 12, 2009 at 12:00 am