"The completed image, which I saw first, had me developing my own story. As it turned out I was pretty close. "Right Curmudgeon the word Tomato on the label makes the statement link.

Yes, I agree that the still life I started with lacked character, tomatoes, and catsup... aaaa ya... OK ... Boring.
The mottling of the background the the reflection really brought it to life.

Many of the things I did ended up with flat red circles without any 3D look...

I do not recall if the chicken came before the egg or vice-versa. Usually, I do not buy the tomatoes on a stem... expensive. Having grown up in the country we planted a full flat of tomatoes each spring. Spring in Flint Michigan area started June 15, before that, you had to put cold caps around the new plants. Back then it could frost in early June!!

Jimmy my neighbor and I would have tomato fights at the end of the season throwing ripened tomatoes at each other. At today's prices, we trashed a thousand dollars easily. As a family, we canned tomatoes in the fall to make chili during the winter. During WW2, if you did not grow food you did not eat well.