Tomatoes, Heirloom

Each heirloom tomato is like piece of history and art. Although definitions of heirloom vegetables differ, they all predate World War II, when hybridizing vegetables became commonplace. We grow many different heirloom tomato varieties, with a variety colors, shapes, and sizes. Don't be put off by heirlooms that aren't red- they may be green or yellow or orange when ripe.

Cooking Tips

Although these tomatoes can certainly be cooked, their flavor may be best appreciated raw. Put thick slices on sandwiches, bagels, and toast. Add them to a green salad, or make a tomato salad. Sprinkle them with a coarse salt, some balsamic vinegar, and an herb such as basil. Make bruschetta, salsa, or pita and hummus. These tomatoes are so tasty; you may find yourself just eating them sliced, all by themselves.

Storage Tips

Don't put your tomatoes in the refrigerator; rather, store them somewhere in your kitchen, away from direct sunlight, where they will not be damaged. Tomatoes will continue to sweeten and ripen for several days. Perhaps the best way to store these tomatoes for the long term would be to freeze them as a sauce or salsa.

Nutrition

Tomatoes are full of vitamins A and C, caratenoids and beta carotene. They also contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which recent studies have found effective at fighting cancer. They are also high in lutein, which helps in preventing chronic eye disease.

History

In spite of their association with Italian food, tomatoes are a New World crop that never existed in pre-Columbian Europe. They are native to western South America, and traveled north to Mexico where many new cultivars were developed. After their arrival in Europe they became popular in Italy and Spain, but were met with disdain in more northern cultures. The Spanish spread tomatoes throughout the Caribbean and the Philippines, and it is thought that the first widely cultivated varieties in the United States first arrived via the Caribbean in the 19th century.