From On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee:
“After their domestication in Mexico (their name comes from the Aztec term for ‘plump fruit,’ tomatl), and a period of European suspicion that lasted into the 19th century, [tomatoes are] eaten all over the world… In the United States they’re second in vegetable popularity only to the potato, a starchy staple.”
A relative of tomatoes, despite looking so different on the plant (they grow with a papery husk). Most commonly used for sauces, particularly salsa verde. My favorite way to make salsa verde is to roast the tomatillos with onion and jalapeño until they are slightly charred and soft. Then you just blend it all up and add salt to taste.
Nichols noted last week that all of the greenhouses ripened at once, and now they are flush with tomatoes. It definitely showed at their West Loop GCM stand over the weekend, and now we all get to help by providing good homes for them.
A fun mix of red and orange. The orange ones that has a great tart fruitiness to them. Nichols noted this week that all of the greenhouses ripened at once, and now they are flush with tomatoes. It definitely showed at their West Loop GCM stand this weekend, and now we all get to help by providing good homes for them.
These are a fun orange that has a great tart fruitiness to them. Nichols noted this week that all of the greenhouses ripened at once, and now they are flush with tomatoes. It definitely showed at their West Loop GCM stand this weekend, and now we all get to help by providing good homes for them.
Last share we had cherry tomatoes from the greenhouse. This week; these heirlooms. The slicing tomatoes we’ll see later in the season from the field will have a little more oomph than these from the greenhouse. Still, definitely not bad.
Over the winter, Nichols Farm added a couple greenhouses to their already impressive amount. In these greenhouses, they plant directly into the earth giving them the both the protection of a greenhouse and the amazing soil they have cultivated over many seasons. With this, they are able to perform the magic act of having tomatoes and cucumbers available in the middle of May.
Nichols also does a slicing tomato in the greenhouse that I find to be a little lacking compared to field tomatoes that come in season. These cherry tomatoes though…they’re pretty close to the real deal.
A mix of red and yellow cherry tomatoes. Tomatoes are the second most consumed (colloquial) vegetable in the U.S., just behind potatoes. This is likely due to their savoriness thanks to high amounts of glutamic acid (the ‘G’ in MSG) .
There are a couple different varieties of cherry tomatoes in this mix. A yellow one that is a nice burst of tartness. A skinny red one that has a more mild flavor. And one that is more similar to the multi-colored heirlooms that are coming into season at farmers’ markets.
August is for tomatoes and at their peak like this, we like to enjoy them just as they are (plus a little salt).
There are a couple different varieties of cherry tomatoes in this mix. A yellow one that is a nice burst of tartness. A skinny red one that has a more mild flavor. And one that is more similar to the multi-colored heirlooms that are coming into season at farmers’ markets.
More tomatoes. Nichol’s is one of the few local farms with an extensive greenhouse program that allows them to have tomatoes at this point in the season.
These won’t compare to the field tomatoes we’ll get later in the season, but they certainly beat the warehouse ripened ones you’d find at the grocery store.
These won’t compare to the field tomatoes we’ll get later in the season, but they certainly beat the warehouse ripened ones you’d find at the grocery store.
There’s no such thing as too many tomatoes this time of year. Cherry tomatoes are great since they generally last a little longer, are easy to snack on, and slice into pretty cross-sections to cook with or garnish just about any dish.
‘Heirloom’ is pretty generic term for a large group of closely related tomatoes. They are open-pollinated so cross-breeding is more likely which causes these to be somewhat irregular and unique tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes are also generally from fragile so handle with care. I find it best to use a serrated knife to cut these.
