08/29/2014
Dover Cove Farmers' Market is a Jack Does That member, and is looking for a volunteer to take photographs (digital camera provided) at market on Tuesdays. There are some great ways to earn hours and meet new friends through Jack Does That!
Our tomatoes are finally in full swing. We have so many delicious varieties that we thought it would be helpful to give you some more information about them. A Tomato Tutorial, if you will. Each lettered photo will correspond with it's lettered description.
A. Roman Candle, Heirloom, Paste Variety. It's rare to find a pure-yellow, banana-shaped tomato, and even more difficult to find one with superior flavor. Roman Candle satisfies on both counts. Paste-type fruits, 4 to 6" long, are very meaty and flavorful with brilliant yellow skin and white flesh. An excellent choice for salsas and sauces.
B. Moby Grape, Cultivar, Grape Variety. Small, sweet-tasting clusters of bright red fruits are produced in abundance. The oblong fruit grows 2-12” with a sweet, distinctive flavor. Fruit can be eaten right off the vine. Great in salads or for snacking.
C. Roma, Heirloom, Plum variety. Prized for its use in tomato paste and sauces since its introduction in 1955. This tomato is not juicy. This is not a slicing tomato. Instead, the flesh is thick and drier so that it will cook down into a thick sauce. Cooking intensifies flavor, too. If you can tomatoes, make your own spaghetti sauce, or like to chop a tomato into an omelet, this is a great choice. It's not too juicy in the pan compared to slicing tomatoes. The fruit freezes well for later cooking, too.
D. Green Doctor's Frost Cherry, Heirloom, Cherry Variety. We will predict that you won’t be able to eat just one! Low acid, sweet, and delicious. There are two strains of Doctors; this frosted one is the sweeter of the two. Fruits green with a silver frost, blush gold when ripe. They make a wonderful addition to a cherry tomato mix. Makes great salsa verde; just add lime.
E. Tomatillo, Husk Cherry. Not actually a tomato, but is related to them. The fruit of the tomatillo is green and about the size of a large cherry tomato. The inside is white and meatier than a tomato.They are covered by a papery husk which may range from the pale green color of the fruit itself to a light grocery-bag brown. The husks are inedible and should be removed before use. Great for salsa verde, fried green tomatoes, or in omelets.
F. Bellstar Paste, Heirloom, Plum Variety. - Early variety perfect for short seasons and concentrated harvests. Smooth, fleshy interior is great for sauce, processing or slicing for fresh eating. This adds a little more variety for Roma lovers. A Roma gathers flavor when cooked, but Bellstar can be eaten with great flavor raw or cooked.
G. Be My Baby, Cultivar, Cherry Variety. This productive cherry is the ongoing result of a cross of three famous tomatoes: an heirloom potato-leaf beefsteak and two cherries, one orange and one red. The crossing and selection process for a red cherry with regular tomato foliage began in 1997 and is now complete. The grape tomato in its background lends a rich sweet flavor somewhat akin to that of Sweet Baby Girl.
H. Snow White, Cultivar, Cherry Variety. This is our personal favorite. It's almost like eating dessert! White cherry tomatoes are usually bland, but Snow White has a sweet, fruity flavor with a real tomatoey aftertaste. The fruit ripens to a very pale yellow. Great in salads and scrambled eggs, but even better all by itself!
I. Thai Pink Egg, Heirloom from Thailand, Grape Variety. . These little grape sized fruits have a paste tomato consistency and a mildly acidic sweet and rich flavor. Fruits are crisp and start out a pearl ivory in color then change into a pinkish red. They hold up well to roasting and are really good with a little olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
J. Pruden's Purple, Heirloom, Slicing or Table Variety. The first of our slicers to ripen this year! Rivals Brandywine as the best-flavored heirloom tomato and boasts a devoted fan club. Pruden’s is not really purple, but rather a deep pink with slight shoulder ribbing. Meaty and flavorful, great on sandwiches, sliced up as a side for dinner, or just eaten like an apple for a snack.
We are looking forward to introducing you to more of our slicing tomatoes as they ripen. Maybe you will even find a new favorite!
