Heirlooms may not always present the archetypal tomato in terms of physical appearance, but their bold stripes and unusual shapes have a certain elegance to them, not to mention that they hold the promise of a truly delicious fruit (or vegetable, of you prefer). The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook is a beautifully photographed collection of 50 recipes that all use heirloom tomatoes. The most basic way to enjoy one of these is plain, or with a bit of salt, because the flavor of the tomato itself is so wonderful. But even the most ardent tomato fan can get bored with plain tomatoes, so the recipes for gazpacho, salsas and even jams in this book can help to take full advantage of the summer's tomato crop.
The one caveat about this book is that many of the recipes call for specific types of tomatoes. Don't feel bound by that, though it will give you something to go on if deciding to grow your own or purchase them for the first time. Each tomato may have a slightly different flavor, but they are all tomatoes. Try different kinds and figure out which ones you like best. The odds are good that you won't be disappointed whether you end up with Brandywine or Purple Ball tomatoes.
