Summer is, not surprisingly, my favorite season for farmer’s markets, but to me the very pinnacle of summer veggie goodness is the tomatoes. Tomato season is finally here, and I’m excited.
If you’re accustomed to tomatoes from the grocery store, you’re missing out. Fresh local tomatoes are in a league of their own – the pale red lumps at the store can’t compete. Tomatoes grown on an industrial scale (which is what you’ll find at 99% of all grocery stores) are bred for certain traits: mainly durability and uniform size. They are not bred for flavor; they are meant to travel well over long distances, and fit neatly in crates. (You’ll find this sort of thinking with most grocery store produce – storage and travel prioritized over taste.) This is a great bonus if you’re a tomato factory farm trying to sell your product all around the country; it’s less beneficial if you’re a consumer looking for a tasty tomato.
That’s where local tomatoes come in for the win. The tomatoes you’ll find at your farmer’s market are not uniform; their beauty is in their strangeness and uniqueness. Many of them will be heirlooms – varieties that have been passed down for generations without being altered by breeding, as opposed to so-called “conventional” varieties that have had the flavor bred out of them. You may find one with striking colors: reds, pinks, yellows, greens, even purples and stripes. Some will be tiny, others massive and lumpy. They will have names like Early Girl, Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, Mr. Ugly, and Big Bite.
And the flavors? As varied as you can imagine and still call them all tomatoes. Sweet, mild, strong, low-acid… but the words don’t really begin to describe the variety of tastes. And compared to what you’d buy at the store, they are all rich and flavorful, full of character.
The sheer variety can be intimidating to those unfamiliar with heirlooms, but the best way to learn is to try lots of things – just dive in and be adventuresome. If you’ve got a particular use in mind, most farmers will be happy to recommend a variety. Just look for heavy, unblemished tomatoes, with a solid (not squishy) feel. And don’t be turned off by the odd-looking ones; some of them are the best tasting. You should always store tomatoes at room temperature, not in the fridge, because cold will change their taste and texture.
There are many things to do with fresh tomatos. My favorites tend to be the simple ones: a salad of tomato, mozzarella, and basil; pasta tossed with chopped tomato and parmesan. I find myself not planning meals around them, but just adding them to everything I make, and they brighten up most dishes. However, I’ve seen some pretty interesting tomato recipes recently. I’ll be trying some out this week, and sharing my successes.