Fall is officially here, but that doesn't mean you can't still snag a few good tomatoes here and there. While they're best fresh, tomatoes can also survive a stint in the freezer ... as long as you do something with them afterward.
These scarlet slices are from Flickr user maggiephotos -- who encourages freezing the ruby reds for colder months -- and explains on her blog Pithy and Clever that she roasted them with herbs, salt and "a few cloves of garlic." Roasted low and slow, they managed to maintain their beautiful color and look just as lush as fresh tomatoes.
There are few combinations more satisfying than starch and fat. It's why hamburgers and macaroni and cheese always seem to please even the most picky eaters. Add a few colorful vegetables to the mix and you have a meal that covers the food groups and catches the eye, like this pizza from the Brown-Eyed Baker.
But this is not your typical slice. In addition to the square Sicilian cut, what you may not see right away is that the crust is made of crispy polenta and topped off with deliciously rich bacon and Fontina cheese, as well as a healthy dose of vegetables (cremini mushrooms, baby spinach and a Roma tomato).
Those perplexed by this season's tomato blight, aka "late blight", or simply wondering why the heck the price of the beloved ruby-hued edibles has gone through the roof of late would do well to read this piece by chef/ restaurateur/ locavore Dan Barber in Sunday's New York Times.
Barber reveals that Stone Barns, the farm that is part of his restaurant north of New York City lost half its tomatoes in the span of only three days due to the "pernicious" blight sweeping the northeast. Many organic farmers have been forced to spray using pesticides, losing their organic certifications in the process.
Evidently the spring's wet weather has proved a "four-star hotel" for late blight. Americans looking to save money this year -- seven million more of us investigated home gardening this year -- unknowingly bought starter plants infected with blight from large industrial stores. Ironically, this helped create the problem, as tiny "Trojan horse" vines popped up on windowsills and in cages along the eastern seaboard.
Whether in a Topsy Turvy planter, a backyard garden or a proper farm, it seems growers (and eaters) everywhere are anxiously awaiting prime tomato time, when it's safe to finally pick the ripe red, orange and yellow fruits straight from the vine. Unfortunately, the cold and rainy summer that's plagued many regions of the United States has delayed tomato season for some. But not for Flickr user ccharmon, who got hold of the cherry variety and managed to make the tiny critters seem larger than life. Not only that, each seems to contain a million little flecks of the sunshine that helped make it so perfect.
Until we find such sun-kissed tomatoes of our own, we'll settle for gazing at these scarlet beauties -- even if that means a little drool ends up on the keyboard.
You can get away with bad storage habits in the winter, but during the summer tomato season, treat them right and you'll get the most flavor for your buck.
If you're lucky enough to live near a farmers market, don't forget to thank your local farmer and gardener for that sparkling-fresh produce, especially those who grow heirloom vegetables and fruits. In addition to growing delicious produce, they're cultivating history, right on the vine.
Though there are some differences of opinion about its exact definition, an heirloom variety of fruit or vegetable is generally agreed to be one that has been cultivated for at least 50 years. Beans are an heirloom veggie ever-growing in popularity, but the food that truly sings of summer is the tomato.
Heirloom tomatoes are beginning to appear in gardens, at roadside stands and lining produce aisles. In honor of the unique flavors and colors of these beauties, beyond the jump is an original recipe for a summer tomato salad: history you can eat. But remember to save some seeds -- preserving them is the least we can do for these species that give so much to us.
Rice Cream Puddings offers customers puddings flavored with everything from coquito to rum raisin.
Writer Maricel E. Presilla writes about the Cuban memories evoked by sweet mangoes.
California's Brassfield winery traded rolling cattle fields for vineyards and grapes.
Northwest Miami-Dade is home to restaurants like Olivos, Thai Cafe and Taberna de Ignacio, while Hollywood boasts Exotic Bites, Cafe Italia and Orale Mexican.
La Cofradia adds "Ceviche Bar" to its name and revels in raw fish.
This eye-popping bowl of fettuccine with roasted tomato sauce is a tantalizing reminder that tomato season is nearly upon us. Brought into glorious (and most likely brief) existence by Gwendolyn at Patent and the Pantry, it's a vibrant ode to the complicated chemistry that takes place between simple ingredients, rendering them extraordinary. It's also a succinct explanation of why carbophobia tends to end in bankruptcy, both moral and financial. Above all, it's a comforting reminder that sometimes, happiness really can be found at the business end of a pasta machine.
Gourmet's Barry Estabrook investigates the plight of Florida tomato pickers. The following is an excerpt of his findings published on Gourmet.com.
A little slavery is okay, just not too much of it.
At this writing, that appears to be the official government position in the state of Florida, and it could explain why the fields of the Sunshine State provide such fertile ground for modern-day slavery. In the past dozen years, police have broken up and prosecuted seven slave operations there, freeing more than 1,000 men and women who were kept captive and forced to work for little or no money and threatened with death if they tried to escape. (For more on the plight of the Florida tomato pickers, see my article "The Price of Tomatoes" in the March 2009 issue of Gourmet.)
Late last year, two members of the Navarrete family, the operators of what has been recognized as the most brutal slave ring the state has seen, were sentenced to 12 years in prison; two others received lesser sentences. Justice having been done, it was an ideal opportunity for Governor Charlie Crist, who enjoys a very high approval rating, to spend a bit of that political capital to condemn the practice and announce bold steps to prevent it.
Last month in the New York Times, Melissa Clark published a recipe for broccoli with shrimp roasted in the same pan and described how bite-size pieces of chicken thighs would cook in the same amount of time, too. I tried the chicken idea with cauliflower, and the results were very nice. Since then, roasting protein and veggies together has been my go-to method for no-fuss cooking.
Recently, I was inspired by two recipes in Gourmet's "Every Day" section: Roasted Pacific Cod with Spring Vegetables and Mint and Provençal Chicken and Tomato Roast. I swiped the cod from the first and the tomatoes from the second and threw in capers instead of the black olives that the second recipe called for. The fish and the tomato mixture were cooked perfectly at the same time. This is a tasty, simple recipe that I'm sure to reprise. The method is after the jump.
Got an overflow of late-season ripe tomatoes in your garden? Check out this New York Times recipe for tomato Tarte Tatin. Tarte Tatin, French upside-down tarts, are usually sweet, often made with green apples. But this colorful savory tart, made with a variety of yellow, red and orange tomatoes, can be served alongside lamb or or beef, or on its own with some green salad for a light lunch. A splash of vinegar and finely chopped Kalamata olives add zest. Gorgeous.
Got an overflow of late-season ripe tomatoes in your garden? Check out this New York Times recipe for 
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