Tis’ the Season for Heirloom Tomatoes
So what the heck is an heirloom anyway?
Heirloom, as in “family heirloom”, is something passed down from generation to generation. As a term, heirloom can be used for any kind of fruit or vegetable that is an old variety, is not genetically modified and isn't a hybrid. There are heirloom melon, beans, cucumbers, etc.
Heirloom tomatoes go way back and are in peak season right now! You can visit your favorite local farmer’s market for a taste of these gems or grab them at many stores.
They’re soft by nature, as they were bred before the invention of the internal combustion engine. Hence, they were never bred firm and thick-skinned for long shipping distances, rough handling and storage.
Tomatoes you find in most supermarkets today, perfect, red and round, are the result of taking these not always so eye appealing, misshapen, cracked, sutured tomatoes (heirlooms) and breeding them to be perfect, pretty and available all year round. Problem is tomato flavor usually takes a back seat as a result of all the breeding.
Many heirloom T's are funny looking. They were born that way. Seriously, they look like they do because they were bred for flavor, nothing else.
I’ve been asked “Which is the sweetest?” I find none are particularly sweet, but they are all very flavorful. They were bred long before the public fell in love with sweetness in everything, including tomatoes.
The great thing is they're all good for many applications because they are all very flavorful. Whether it be sauce, caprese salad, a slice on a burger or just choppin' em up to slather on a baguette, these tomatoes won’t let you down. And if your tummy doesn’t get along well with acidic things, a yellow or white colored tomato may work for you. These colors are less acidic than red or black.
Lets delve into some of the many varieties…
SAN MARZANO
Rich, bittersweet taste, low acid, thin skin with thick flesh and minimal seeds. They look like a larger plum tomato. Primarily grown in San Marzano, Italy near Naples, the tomatoes are a denoted D.O.P. (Protected Denomination of Origin). For more info and a recipe, see my post from last summer.
GREEN GRAPE
Very rare, this is the cherry tomato for the descerning palate. It's small with a mild citrus, slightly sweet flavor. I grew them last summer, quite a treat.
BRANDYWINE (yellow pictured)
Dating back to the late 1800’s, Brandywine regularly takes top tomato honors in tastings. There are black, yellow, pink and red Brandywine. All are rich with an old-fashioned tomato flavor.
MARVEL STRIPE
A meaty and colorful tomato that gets HUGE and still tastes great! Slice it cross-wise and lay on a green salad for a dazzling topper.
CHEROKEE PURPLE
Brownish purple and thin skin with dark green shoulders, this heirloom has full flavored, brick red flesh. One of the juiciest around. “Smoky” is the best way to describe the flavor. This is a SlowFood Ark of Taste tomato.
EVERGREEN
See center of intro picture for one of these green beauties! Plump, mild and inviting even when still fairly green in color. Ripe when it softens and the green turns a bit amber.
ZAPOTEC PLEATED
Not only does this unique shaped tomato make a great fresh eater, it doubles as a stuffing tomato. Slice off the top, scrape out the seeds and juice and mix with tuna or another cold salad, then stuff into the shell.
BLACK KRIM
A smaller dark reddish brown variety originally from the Crimean peninsula in the Ukraine. It's shoulders can look almost black sometimes. Produces well under adverse conditions.
GERMAN WHITE / GREAT WHITE
Yellowish white, juicy and meaty with a mild flavor.
BANANA LEGS
Meaty with few seeds, low acid, prolific and a deep yellow color. Can sometimes have light green stripes. Reminds me of a smaller version of San Marzano.
Comments
Beautiful photos and wonderful info Lynn! My black brandywines have been producing..so sweet. I love the taste of Watermelon Beefsteak..big, pink, with a hint of lemon.
Gotta can today!
Posted by: Melly | August 18, 2009 10:12 AM