Comments on: Heirloom Tomatoes Are Here! http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:23:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Heirloom Tomatoes Are Here! by: Rodrick Hale » Blog Archive » What constitutes a tomato being called an “heirloom tomato”? http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-53402 Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:38:20 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-53402 [...] I believe it is because it is a variety of tomato that has been around for a very long time and the seeds in some cases are passed from generation to generation. There are a group of people called “seed savers” who are interested in preservation of heirloom seeds. I’ve grown several heirlooms and my favorite is “orange oxheart” but there are many to choose from. Here is an article that explains the heirloom tomato. http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/ [...] […] I believe it is because it is a variety of tomato that has been around for a very long time and the seeds in some cases are passed from generation to generation. There are a group of people called “seed savers” who are interested in preservation of heirloom seeds. I’ve grown several heirlooms and my favorite is “orange oxheart” but there are many to choose from. Here is an article that explains the heirloom tomato. http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/ […]

]]> Comment on Heirloom Tomatoes Are Here! by: Barbara http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5638 Wed, 16 Aug 2006 21:22:38 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5638 Hello, NC Posse! Why, yes, indeed I have--though, I have found you have to get good green tomatoes in order to fry them. The last ones I picked up for the purpose had no flavor and were absolutely a waste to fry. They should be very tart and crisp. So, taste before you fry. Here is the post from last year on the subject. This year, I intend on doing a second post with some Indian spices and maybe a green chile chutney to go with. Or, I might fry them in besan batter pakora style...you never know. Anyway, here is how I fry them homestyle: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/09/14/i-dunno-lad-but-its-green/ Hello, NC Posse! Why, yes, indeed I have–though, I have found you have to get good green tomatoes in order to fry them. The last ones I picked up for the purpose had no flavor and were absolutely a waste to fry. They should be very tart and crisp. So, taste before you fry.

Here is the post from last year on the subject. This year, I intend on doing a second post with some Indian spices and maybe a green chile chutney to go with.

Or, I might fry them in besan batter pakora style…you never know.

Anyway, here is how I fry them homestyle:

http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/09/14/i-dunno-lad-but-its-green/

]]> Comment on Heirloom Tomatoes Are Here! by: Courtney, Trina and Trobee http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5626 Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:17:31 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5626 Hey, Barbara~ We're wondering over here at the NC -- have you ever made fried green tomatoes? Hey, Barbara~

We’re wondering over here at the NC — have you ever made fried green tomatoes?

]]> Comment on Heirloom Tomatoes Are Here! by: Barbara http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5603 Wed, 16 Aug 2006 04:23:26 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5603 Sandra, Brenda had good advice. You can often find them at local nurseries and at local farmer's markets in the springtime. Cook's Garden also sells heirloom tomato plants--I have used their plants in the past and have been happy with them. I grew Cherokee Purple and Green Zebra with their plants, and had plenty of tomatoes that year. http://www.cooksgarden.com/ If you want seeds--and you can't find any seed savers in your area--the best place to buy them is the TomatoFest website. They have the most varieties of seeds, and their seed is clean and high quality. I bought seeds for my dad for Christmas one year from them, and they were great. http://www.tomatofest.com/ Risingsun--Morganna was the same way. She didn't eat fresh tomatoes until she had good salsa. Now, she eats fresh tomatoes in pasta, on sandwiches, and in salsa and salads. Oh, and in curries, too. Elizabeth--it is a shame that your farmers markets aren't better! Maybe you should see if you can get a plot in a community garden somewhere where there is sun and grow enough tomato plants to start your own tomato stand? ;-) Sandra, Brenda had good advice. You can often find them at local nurseries and at local farmer’s markets in the springtime.

Cook’s Garden also sells heirloom tomato plants–I have used their plants in the past and have been happy with them. I grew Cherokee Purple and Green Zebra with their plants, and had plenty of tomatoes that year. http://www.cooksgarden.com/

If you want seeds–and you can’t find any seed savers in your area–the best place to buy them is the TomatoFest website. They have the most varieties of seeds, and their seed is clean and high quality. I bought seeds for my dad for Christmas one year from them, and they were great. http://www.tomatofest.com/

Risingsun–Morganna was the same way. She didn’t eat fresh tomatoes until she had good salsa. Now, she eats fresh tomatoes in pasta, on sandwiches, and in salsa and salads. Oh, and in curries, too.

Elizabeth–it is a shame that your farmers markets aren’t better! Maybe you should see if you can get a plot in a community garden somewhere where there is sun and grow enough tomato plants to start your own tomato stand? ;-)

]]> Comment on Heirloom Tomatoes Are Here! by: ejm http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5593 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 19:47:44 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/08/13/heirloom-tomatoes-are-here/#comment-5593 I don't trust a tomato if it's perfectly shaped. I prefer it to be "ugly". And I love the look of the tomatoes in your photograph, especially the darker one at the back! It drives me completely crazy that most of the locally grown field tomatoes (probably not heirloom tomatoes) are clearly picked green and ripened on the truck as they make the often less than an hour's drive to Toronto to go onto the vegetable market shelves. We are dependent on our wonderful and generous next door neighbour to supply us with a few decent tomatoes each summer so we can remember what good tomatoes are like. (She has a small sunny back garden, whereas we have a shady one.) I would LOVE to find a booth somewhere close by that sells ripe, vine ripened tomatoes that have been picked that day.... -Elizabeth I don’t trust a tomato if it’s perfectly shaped. I prefer it to be “ugly”. And I love the look of the tomatoes in your photograph, especially the darker one at the back!

It drives me completely crazy that most of the locally grown field tomatoes (probably not heirloom tomatoes) are clearly picked green and ripened on the truck as they make the often less than an hour’s drive to Toronto to go onto the vegetable market shelves.

We are dependent on our wonderful and generous next door neighbour to supply us with a few decent tomatoes each summer so we can remember what good tomatoes are like. (She has a small sunny back garden, whereas we have a shady one.)

I would LOVE to find a booth somewhere close by that sells ripe, vine ripened tomatoes that have been picked that day….

-Elizabeth

]]>