| Fresh Picks
Time For Tomatoes
by Pamela Boyar
It’s the season for tomatoes — fresh, vine-ripened,
red and juicy tomatoes. Whether you eat them fresh-sliced,
use them in sauces or even fry them, they add that something
special to any meal. A medium-size tomato has only 35 calories,
so it’s a great food for those watching their calories.
It’s also high in calcium, iron, vitamins C and A.
June is prime growing season for tomatoes in Texas. Do you
remember years ago when tomatoes were full of flavor? If you
do, you probably wonder why those available today taste so
bland. With mass marketing and large chain grocery stores,
tomatoes are now picked while they’re still green, refrigerated,
then gassed to give them color. Tomatoes become mealy and
lose their flavor when stored under 55 degrees. But you can
still enjoy the freshness and flavor you’d expect by
buying tomatoes from a local grower.
To pick out a tomato, look for a deep-red color. Pick it up
and smell it. Is it fragrant like a tomato should be? Handle
it. It should yield slightly to the touch.
TOMATO HISTORY
Tomatoes are really a fruit. However, in 1893, the Supreme
Court reclassified it as a vegetable. Technically, it’s
still a fruit even though we treat it as a vegetable. Tomatoes
were discovered by the conquistadors in South America where
they were a staple in the diet of the Aztecs and Incas. Taking
them back to Europe created controversy as they were linked
to being a cousin of the nightshade family, and considered
poisonous. An Italian chef in the 1800s, however, turned this
around by using them in his recipes he prepared for the royal
family. And the rest is history.
VARIETIES
There are many varieties of tomatoes such as roma, cherry,
beefsteak, heirloom, and so forth. Heirloom tomatoes are grown
from seeds that have never been hybridized and are still in
the original form from a century or two ago. Experience this
variety for a real treat. They come in crazy shapes, colors
and sizes like green zebra stripes, brandywyne and Cherokee
purple. They do not travel well since they have not been bred
for this purpose. They are chef’s favorites. Many Texas
farmers grow heirloom tomatoes. And who can forget the popular
green tomatoes (unripened reds), great for frying with a little
egg and cornmeal coating.
RECIPES
Here are two great recipes that are easy to make and delicious.
Most ingredients are made with seasonal produce that can be
found at your local farmer’s market or farm stand.
Westlake Farmers Market Summer Salad
1 each red, brandywyne, yellow, orange, Cherokee
purple and green zebra-stripe tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled
1/2 red onion, peeled
8 ounces of Pure Lucks feta goat cheese
1 bunch of basil
Olive oil, balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper (optional)
Wash and slice tomatoes, cucumbers and onion
and place on the plate. Crumble the feta cheese over the tomatoes.
Chop half the bunch of basil loosely and sprinkle on the plate.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Use the left
over whole basil leaves to garnish. Serves six to eight.
Pamela Boyar has been working with organic farmers for 23
years. She started a fresh-pressed juice company in 1980.
In 1986, she distributed organically grown produce direct
from the farms to restaurants in California. Committed to
support and promote the small family farm, she is currently
the director of the Westlake Farmers Market, which she established
in 1997. It is the highest grossing farmer’s market
in Texas. |
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