Growers and Grocers

Here in France, I always buy my tomatoes in season, never letting myself be tempted by a pale hothouse variety in Winter; so I’m not surprised to learn that heirloom tomatoes are a hit in the USA.

“Heirloom tomatoes with names like Marcel Stripe and Black Krim have been the late summer favorites of Northern California’s backyard gardeners, farmers’ market shoppers and top chefs for nearly a decade,” writes Aleta Watson for the San Jose Mercury News. She explains that the definition of heirloom tomatoes has changed over the years. Originally, they were “open-pollinated tomatoes grown from seeds handed down from one generation to the next for at least 50 years.” This definition has broadened considerably, and now includes seed company tomatoes launched before 1940 and also some recently created cross-pollinated varieties.

Whatever the definition, the plump, tasty, and sometimes irregularly shaped fruits – or vegetables – have taken the Bay Area by storm and, predictably, are starting to appear in mainstream supermarkets. However, this is likely not the most promising place to purchase heirloom tomatoes. Farmers’ markets and specialty shops remain the best bet – unless you grow them yourself!

(Photo courtesy of tomatoseeds.net)