By Debra Morris–
For those who appreciate a tomato’s simplest, most delicious form, the
arrival of summer’s exquisite heirloom tomatoes is a yearly delight. They are being harvested now and you can look forward to the wonderful colors, shapes, sizes, and flavors of these beauties arriving at your farmers’ market soon.
Local farmers have told us that heirloom tomatoes are scheduled to arrive right on time this year. The rain webhad this last winter was a boon to production and growth, leaving farmers to begin picking a bountiful crop.
What is an heirloom tomato exactly? An heirloom is generally considered
to be a variety passed down through several generations because of its valued characteristics such as flavor, growth habits, and ease of production.
They are “open-pollinated” tomatoes as opposed to today’s hybrids. Types
with long histories include Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra,
Jubilee, and German Green. Each variety is truly unique, with sometimes contorted, fun shapes and gorgeous colors, and ranging in size from tiny heirloom cherry tomatoes to gigantic Cherokee Purples.
Heirloom tomatoes do not usually travel well because of their thin skins. They also have a shorter shelf life than conventional tomatoes, thus they are ideally suited for local farmers to grow because they can be quickly brought to market once they are ripe.
You’ll find only the best and most flavorful heirloom tomatoes at your local farmers’ market. There will be so many varieties and so many gorgeous colors from which to choose! Make a Caprese Salad with big slabs of Brandywines, tomato pie with German Greens, or try our Oven Sundried Tomatoes made with colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes.
2 to 3 pints heirloom cherry tomatoes with yellow, orange, red, and purple colors
Pinch fine salt or garlic salt
Olive oil
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat on low to 225°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange them cut-side up, closely together, in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt. You can also sprinkle with dried basil and garlic salt instead of regular salt. Go easy on salt as the tomatoes get saltier when dehydrated!
Bake for 4 to 5 hours. Check toward the last half hour to see if they are soft, shriveled, and leathery. Let cool thoroughly. Pack them in a jar and fill it with enough olive oil to cover the tomatoes. They should last two to three weeks in the refrigerator.
Debra Morris is a spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market
Association. For more information and recipes: https://www.pcfma.org/
This Month at the Farmer’s Market
Published on July 11, 2024
Recent Comments