This time of the year, I love going to the farmer's markets to try the many succulent and colorful tomatoes. Depending on the season, we can enjoy these fruity delectables into mid-fall. Like so many fruits and vegetables, there are plenty of varieties of tomatoes to try. Below are 8 with some history.
- Heirloom - Within this category there are approximately 400 different varieties. Aesthetically, they look striking with their unusual coloring and size. I would not use them to cook with. They're preferable eaten on their own with fresh basil, mozzarella, and vinaigrette.
- Big Rainbow - These large beefsteak tomatoes can weigh over two pounds. They've been growing in the U.S. since the early 1900s. They start off yellow, and as they ripen they resemble a green pinkish-red rainbow. They're perfect for sandwiches and cooking.
- Brandywine - This is another beefsteak tomato. The Amish community has been growing them since the late 19th century. They're softer than Big Rainbow tomatoes and they're bursting with both sweetness and acidity.
- Cherokee Purple - These small sized salad tomatoes are perfect for cutting in quarters. They were first grown by the Cherokee tribe as far back as the 1800s. If you have a sweet tooth, these are for you! They're probably the sweetest large tomatoes at the market.
- Djena Lee's Golden Girl - Tomato breeder Djena Lee created this deep yellow variety in the 1920s. They're known for their intense taste and sugar-acid balance. Cut them for your summer salad.
- Green grape - This yellow-green cherry tomato has a relatively short history. It was created in the 1980s by being bred between four different heirloom tomatoes. They look like muscat grapes and are great for snacking.
- Currant red - These tart cherry tomatoes are the smallest ones available.
- Yellow Pear - This gorgeous yellow pear shaped small fruity tomato is great for snacking with grey sea salt mixed in with greens.
What are some interesting tomatoes you've tried so far this season?
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8-19-2008 @3:12PM sairuh said... Early Girl and Stupice red tomatoes with the best flavor I've ever experienced in a red medium-sized fruit: sweet, tart and rich. Sun Gold are the sweetest, most insanely prolific cherry-type tomatoes I've had, too.
Many friends recommend Black Krim (purple), and I've enjoyed Valencia (orange), although I've had trouble finding seedlings for the latter.
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8-19-2008 @7:26PM Tamara Kaye Sellman said... Some other faves:
Yellow Girl. I grew this one in companion to Cherokee Purple and had to pick them all a month early or risk losing them to a hailstorm. I put them on trays and left them to ripen in the garage and had beautiful purple and yellow tomatoes all the way through November.
Riesenstraube. This is a centuries-old variety of German stock. Nice and meaty. Can't remember where I got the seeds, but I grew them myself and they were prolific plants.
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