I met Actor/Producer/Director, Clint Eastwood in the mid-seventies at the restaurant/bar he then owned in Carmel, CA., The Hog's Breath Inn. The bar, adjacent to the outside patio tucked under the trees, could fit maybe twelve customers. Clint would often hang out in the far end of the bar after a round of golf in Pebble Beach where he would visit with old friends and new for a drink. I would bump into him occasionally and enjoyed some brief conversations. He knew me as a local with some similar interests in supporting our community. This was during a period when I was publishing my magazines, Adventures in Dining and Monterey Life Magazine, The Magazine of California's Spectacular Central Coast. Yes, I, too, was fascinated with Clint Eastwood's public persona and enjoyed the activity of tourists from around the world who squeezed through the close quarters of the bar and saddled up close to him after discovering that, indeed, this was Clint Eastwood, the movie star, tucked in the corner. I never witnessed Clint less than friendly and generous, even when some of his fans proved difficult.

In 1980, as one of the founders of Monterey March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, I invited Clint to be one of the featured celebrity chefs at this black-tie dinner/dance fundraiser, along with twenty other invited celebs asked to prepare a favorite culinary dish, including: U.S. Congressman, Leon Panetta; Artist/Cartoonist, Hank Ketcham; Actress, Jane Wyatt (best known for her television show, Father Knows Best); and Alan Funt, Producer of television series, Candid Camera.

Each of the celebrity chef teams were competing for awards presented by The Culinary Institute of America. Culinary Judges included: Craig Claiborne, Author/Food Editor, New York Times; Jane Benet, Food Editor, San Francisco Chronicle; Alice Waters famed Author/Chef/Owner of Chez Panisse restaurant; James Villas, Food and Wine Editor, Town and Country magazine and Raymond Bergerac, Owner/Chef of Maison Bergerac.

After Clint agreed to join the event with me as his celebrity chef partner, he asked me to come up with the dish for our cooking demonstration/competition. I did so-and announced to the national media attending that Clint would prepare a pasta dish called, "Spaghetti Western." At our cooking station Clint stirred the pasta sauce and fielded questions for the cameras. (A few minutes before he pulled me aside and asked me, "Gary, what's in this.") Our "Spaghetti Western" creation won the American Regional Cuisine Award. The next day I was flown to New York City to prepare the dish, on NBC's "Good Morning America," with host, Joan Lunden. Joan, of course, wanted Clint to join me but accepted my presence and performance without Clint who said to me, "Gary, you go. I've got other plans."

This was the year that Clint Eastwood became Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. He was particularly generous with his determination to benefit the community. I found him always affable, with an easy smile and a special interest in supporting local schools and youth charities. During this time, he was an occasional customer at the Cajun/Creole restaurant I co-founded with Deborah Sponder, The Bayou Café.

Clint joined me again the following year for another "Gourmet Gala," where I joined him with: Chef/Author/Television host, Martha Stewart; Actor, Cliff Robertson and Actress/Singer, Doris Day. At our dinner table for ten I sat Clint next to famed Chef/Author, Martha Stewart which resulted in delightful conversations. I anticipated possible sparks of interest between the two that seemed apparent on Martha Stewart's face when they shared the podium for award presentations.

Also, in 1987, Clint Eastwood joined us for the first Monterey Film Festival, sponsored by The Monterey Vineyard where I was then Director of Marketing and Public Relations. I co-hosted this event with actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, Ed Asner.

In the few years that followed his period as Mayor, I lost contact with Clint as he became more active away from Carmel, producing, directing and acting in films. I was busy publishing Adventures in Dining magazine and starting what would become my next career as a grower of certified organic, heirloom tomatoes.

After I started the annual Gary Ibsen's Carmel TomatoFest event in Carmel Valley as a fundraiser for local youth charities, Clint would show up at numerous events over the years, by himself or with his family, and volunteered to present a variety of awards onstage. His attendance and participation contributed to the international publicity "America's Favorite Tomato Festival" received as "The most extensive and heralded tomato tasting and tomato culinary event in the country."

When Clint was in town during the Carmel TomatoFest, he had a standing invitation to join us, but he would never confirm whether he would attend or not-to avoid media announcements of his presence. We had an agreement that should he choose to attend he would quietly slip in the back entrance, wander the event, sometimes with his wife, Dina Eastwood and his young daughter, Morgan, on his shoulders. He would eventually find me or Dagma in midst of our event management duties with an offer to assist with award presentations.

For many years I wanted pay tribute to Clint for the generosity he bestowed upon our Carmel-Monterey community, for his actions to preserve the natural beauty of our coastline, for his hospital Youth Program designed to treat drug, alcohol and health problems, and for the years of support he's given to the Carmel TomatoFest. And then, I was presented an opportunity by a friend of mine, Archie Millett, a tomato breeder with the University of California at Davis since the early 50's. Following years of crossing thousands of tomato varieties at the university to produce a disease resistant tomato with intense flavor, Archie retired in 1987 and continued cross breeding his favorite tomato strains to further enhance the flavor qualities of his favorite tomato.

One day while Dagma and I were visiting Archie at his home garden in the Sierras he pressed some tomato seeds into my palm and said, "Here, Gary, these are for you. I've only shared these with friends and family. This is the best tasting tomato variety of my fifty years of growing tomatoes. Name it what you want and share it with others."

Wanting to give this special tomato a boost of recognition with a memorable name, I approached Clint one day in the parking lot of his Mission Ranch in Carmel and asked his permission to name this tomato variety, "Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red," after the Rowdy Yates, character played by Clint in his old television series "Rawhide." Clint replied, "Sure, Gary, name it whatever you want."

"Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red" is an open-pollinated tomato, which means the seeds can be saved, year to year, for producing identical fruit for future generations. The tall, indeterminate, plant produces lots of 6-10 oz., deep-red, slightly-flattened, round fruits with a subtle point on its end. The fruit has robust, "not for sissies", bold, tomatoey flavors, with a firm, juicy flesh, that invites snacking in the garden, cooking, canning and seed-saving. Its fruity sweetness is perfectly balanced with plenty of acidity, earthy nuances and complexity. "Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red" has a proven resistance to most common tomato diseases.

I introduced "Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red" to the public for tasting at "Gary Ibsen's 14th annual Carmel TomatoFest" on September 11, 2005 and released the seeds for national distribution in 2006. To date, "Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red" tomato seeds have been distributed to home gardeners around the world. We've also donated seeds to hundreds of school gardens and community gardens.

So, yes, Clint Eastwood has made my day--many days--with his friendship and willing participation. Thanks Clint.