We’ve all been waiting for it. It’s tomato time! Time for tomato salads, tomato sandwiches, fresh tomato sauces, and even biting into sweet, delicious tomatoes like an apple if you’re feeling spunky. Tomato season should last for the next 2 -3 months, but it always feels so fleeting. I know everyone wants to make the most of it. So, let me run you through the roster for this year and answer some frequently asked tomato questions.
First up is a longtime member of the team, the Goldie. Goldie has a bright orange-yellow color that lives up to its name and an incomparable, sweet flavor. Yellow tomatoes, in general, are usually less acidic and sweeter than red tomatoes. Goldie is also an heirloom tomato - which means it’s been cultivated for 50+ years! You’re clearly doing something right if you stick around that long.
More into pink than gold? Check out the German Johnson. If you’re familiar with a Brandywine tomato, German Johnson looks like its cousin. It has a deep pink, dare I say ruby, color. It’s a hybrid tomato, so it’s newer to the scene than an heirloom. It was also the first tomato to ripen this season and therefore the first tomato we taste tested. It was two thumbs up all around because everyone was too busy eating a second slice to exclaim outloud how delicious it tasted.
They’re new; they’re flashy; it’s Hot Streak! Your eyes can’t miss this tomato on the market table. The red and orange stripes create a psychedelic kaleidoscope. The first ripe Hot Streak that I saw literally hypnotized me into harvesting it. It will add some glitz and glam to your tomato salad for sure - especially when paired with their fellow striped tomato, Green Zebra. Green Zebras have green and yellow stripes when ripe. Despite the green color, this is indeed a ripe tomato! Great for eating raw, not great for fried green tomatoes.
Looking for a good ol’ slicing tomato for your sandwiches? Geronimo and the futuristically-named BHN589 have your back. These two red tomatoes are also stalwarts that have been members of the team for years. We like these fruits for their great shelf-life and quality flavor. Want to dabble with a yellow slicing tomato for your sandwich? Try BHN871 (also from the future).
Let’s not forget the little siblings of these tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are fun, sweet snacks and great additions to many salads and other dishes. Red and yellow cherry tomatoes are currently being harvested including The Sungolds, a.k.a. candy from a vine. Sauce tomatoes are also available this year. These plum-shaped tomatoes have a lower-water content, which makes them ideal for sauce-making.
How do I know if my tomato is ripe? The first clue is color. The deeper the color, the riper the tomato. The second clue is feel. In order to prevent bruising, we don’t recommend pressing on the tomatoes. However, if a tomato feels firm when you pick it up, it’s likely a couple days away from peak ripeness. If a tomato feels slightly soft or supple when you pick it up, eat it today or tomorrow.
How should I store my tomato? Tomatoes like to be stored around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. We know that’s not practical for most home kitchens though. If you’ve selected a firmer tomato that’s a few days from ripe, leave it on the counter. Keep an eye on its color and firmness to determine when it’s best to eat. If you’ve selected a very ripe tomato, eat it right now! Or pop it in the fridge for a day or two to keep it from going around the bend before you can eat it.
How do you grow such amazing tomatoes? Aww shucks! That’s so kind of you to say! We grow our tomatoes in the ground covered by a high tunnel. The high tunnel provides extra warmth to the plants as well as protection from pests. The plants get so much tender loving care throughout their lives. The team spends hours pruning, trellising, and fertigating (see July 2022 blog post). The tomato plants work hard for us, so we work hard for them!
Ready? Set? Tomatoooo!
-Kiersten
