Heirloom Tomatoes
There are some foods that are great just on their own, requiring little embellishment. Heirloom tomatoes are one of them. Colorful, wonky-shaped and full of flavor, these gorgeous tomatoes kick some serious booty. In fact, these tomatoes are so wonderful it makes me feel a little sad that I don’t have a garden to grow them in.
Heirloom tomatoes, also called heritage or antique tomatoes, are passed down through generations, whereby the seeds of selected tomatoes are saved in order to be planted from season to season. Some heirlooms date back as far as 100 years or more. They come in different shapes, colors, sizes and offer different flavors. Even the names are really cool: Brandywine, Green Zebra, Cherokee Chocolate, Green Grape, and Mortgage Lifter are just a few of the heirloom varieties.
Some of the differences between heirlooms and regular tomatoes: First and the most obvious, the visual difference. The colors alone on heirlooms are amazing. For the most part, they don’t have a uniform color like their commercial counterparts. Stripes of yellow, streaks of red, green, purple. Also, many heirloom tomatoes are “misshapen”, unlike regular ones, which some people don’t like, (although that makes no sense since they are going to cut the d**n things anyway…).
One important fact is that heirlooms are not hybrids, as most commercial tomatoes are. If you save the seeds of an heirloom and plant it next year, the same tomato will grow nearly 100% of the time. With the seeds of a hybrid, you may end up with any tomato variety that was used to form that hybrid.
Also, unlike a lot of commercial tomatoes, heirlooms aren’t genetically modified to last for weeks in a fridge, they should be eaten within a few days (as nature intended it to be). Lastly, heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated, which means they are pollinated through natural means, via insects, birds, wind, etc. Hybrid tomatoes are grown through closed or controlled pollination, to ensure uniformity of genetic traits. Reliable for commercial reasons, but über-boring in the end.
I can honestly say, in my experience, most heirlooms I’ve eaten tasted great. Overall the difference between the taste of an heirloom versus a regular tomato lies in the quality. You just have to eat one to taste the difference. That’s not to say that all heirlooms are guaranteed fabulous flavor, but when they are great, they are REALLY great.
Now, I’ve never cooked an heirloom tomato, I’ve always eaten them raw. Either way, I think they are best prepared in the simplest manner. Last week I made this heirloom tomato salad, which turned out very refreshing and flavorful. It would’ve been even better with some poached lobster…
HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD WITH WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
MISE EN PLACE:
1) 3 ea heirloom tomatoes, rough large chop (tomatoes I used were slightly smaller than beefsteak tomato size)
2) 2-3 tbl basil, chiffonade
3) to taste, salt and fresh ground pepper
4) optional: 5 ea, pickled ramps, coarsely chopped
5) for the vinaigrette (makes about 1 3/4 C):
1 ea garlic clove
1 ea small shallot
1 tsp dijon mustard
3 tbl honey
1/3 C white balsamic vinegar (same as golden balsamic)
blended oil:
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
2/3 C canola oil
-> Combine oils in measuring cup. Set aside. Combine garlic, shallot, mustard, honey and vinegar in blender or food processor. Blend until well-processed. With the blender on, slowly add blended oil in to make vinaigrette.
DIRECTIONS:
Combine tomatoes, basil and ramps. Drizzle enough dressing to coat lightly, or to taste. Season and toss. There will be extra vinaigrette.
3 comments
Everything is better with lobster, we almost everything. I hope to grow some this year.
what absolutely gorgeous tomatoes. i planted some heirlooms from last year’s seeds but will have to wait a couple of months for any kind of harvest. you’re right about they’re best enjoyed very simply.
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