Heirloom tomatoes revive the flavors of grandma’s garden

Since we are in the middle of August, there seems no better subject for this column than tomatoes, which are ubiquitous this time of year. However, instead of the humble slicing tomato, we’re going to take a look at what are known as heirloom tomatoes. Typically, these are not perfectly round, and they often boast colors other than the standard red, as seen in the photo.

What exactly is an heirloom tomato? They differ from most commercial tomatoes, which have been specifically bred for qualities such as disease resistance and sturdiness for shipping. According to pundits in the agricultural arena, there are three characteristics that define an heirloom. First, they are open pollinated, not hybridized, meaning their flowers are fertilized by bees, moths, birds, bats, wind or rain.

The next criteria is age. Since these varieties were far more available prior to World War II, those that can be traced back to before 1945 without cross-breeding are typically considered heirlooms. Finally, these are species that have been passed down through several generations of a family, community, or ethnic or religious group. While your family may not have saved seeds, you can find heirloom seedlings at nurseries and specialty seed companies today.

One key difference between commercial tomatoes and heirlooms will be the cracked skin that often appears in heirlooms, since they have not been bred for large-scale production, but for a family garden. Other differences are fewer seeds, richer colors and sweeter flavors than supermarket tomatoes. Because they require more care and often take longer to ripen, heirlooms can be more costly than standard tomatoes.

In addition to their great taste, heirloom tomatoes have some fascinating names and qualities. The Great White variety is indeed white with a smooth, sweet flavor inside a paper-thin skin. Black Cherry is dark red, and Matt’s Wild Cherry is super sweet and the size of a pea. Jaune Flamme (which translates to yellow flame) is red-orange in color. Aunt Ruby’s German Green is mostly green with yellow highlights and a juicy texture.

Now that you’ve met some heirlooms, what are you going to do with them? The short answer is not much, meaning don’t use them in a recipe that requires any cooking, since these are best when allowed to shine in their raw state. A simple caprese salad is an ideal dish for any sliced heirloom, layered with fresh mozzarella or burrata, sprinkled with fresh basil, and simply dressed with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.

Another iconic place to feature sliced heirloom tomatoes is the BLT sandwich. Crunchy toast, silky mayonnaise, crisp lettuce and smoky bacon are the best summer companions to your juicy heirloom. There are a number of no-cook recipes that are well suited to showcase fresh heirloom tomatoes. I’ve included a No-Cook Summer Tomato Sauce from Food and Wine. This is the perfect addition to a bowl of fresh pasta; consider tossing in crumbled goat cheese to add rich, creamy notes to the dish.

Any tomato salad would be a happy place for your heirlooms, such as the feta and dill combination in the recipe below. And finally, the heirloom flavor in the gazpacho recipe is like eating a spoonful of summer.

No-Cook Tomato Sauce*
3 lbs chopped tomatoes
1 minced shallot
10 shredded basil leaves
3 T olive oil
2 t red wine vinegar
salt & pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients and a large bowl and allow to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve on toasted baguette slices or over pasta. *Adapted from Food and Wine.

Tomato & Feta Salad
2 heirloom tomatoes
3 T olive oil
1/2 t lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
1 pressed garlic clove
4 oz crumbled feta
1/2 C sliced red onion 
1 t snipped dill
salt & pepper, to taste

Slice the tomatoes into thin wedges; set aside. In a serving bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic. Add tomato slices, feta, onion and dill. Toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 4 servings.

Gazpacho
1 cucumber
1 red bell pepper
2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
1 shallot
2 garlic cloves
3 T red wine vinegar
1 t salt
8 basil leaves
1/2 C olive oil

Seed and chop the cucumber; place in a large mixing bowl. Seed and roughly chop the red pepper, add to the bowl. Chop the tomatoes into chunks; add to the bowl. Thinly slice the shallot; addd to the bowl. Press the garlic cloves into the bowl. Add vinegar and salt; toss to combine. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place the tomato mixture in the bowl of a blender with basil leaves. Blend as you add olive oil in a slow stream; process until smooth. Chill the gazpacho for at least 30 minutes and season to taste before serving.

Send comments, questions, and recipe suggestions to capeflavors@comcast.net.