Heirloom tomatoes are here! Our stores are bursting with all of their gorgeous hues and wildly different shapes. From teensy little cherry heirlooms to hefty, rippling beefsteaks with colors that range from the palest yellows to deep, dark indigo, they’re a vision that still-life paintings — or Instagram pics — are made of.Read on to find out how you can win gorgeous tomato-themed kitchen goodies and a $50 Whole Foods Market® gift card to fill your basket with equally gorgeous heirlooms. UPDATE: Thank you to everyone that entered. Congrats to our randomly chosen winner, Carol P.!
As tomato fans everywhere know, the unique beauty of these heirloom tomatoes is rivaled only by their outstanding, intense flavors that are varied as much as their appearance.
These delicate beauties are hand picked and hand packed so that they arrive in stores ripe and ready to be enjoyed.
Oh, and heirloom season is precious and short. If you’ve never tried an heirloom tomato, now’s your chance to see what everyone’s raving about!
Heirloom Tomato and Basil Salad with Buttermilk Dressing opens in a new tab
Here are some of our favorite heirloom tomatoes and how we like to eat them:
Cherokee Purple
Very large, beefsteak variety, purple or very dark red
Deeply flavored and rich with a firm, dense texture
Slice thickly and serve with brined cheeses such as feta or with a sweet drizzle of honey
Marvel Stripe
Large, beefsteak variety, yellow with interior blush
Mild, sweet and fruity with low acidity; juicy and soft
Wonderful for gazpacho, paired with balsamic vinegar as a tomato relish or with earthy clothbound cheddar cheese
Brandywine
Large, beefsteak variety, pink or yellow
Sweet, low-acidity, heavy “slicing” tomatoes with excellent texture
Perfect for sandwiches, used as the base of a fresh summer salad or paired with the creamy saltiness of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Evergreen
Medium to large, beefsteak variety, green
Mild and sweet, fruit stays green when ripe
Try making tomato preserves, a sandwich with triple crème Brie and baguette or breading and frying slices for fried green tomatoes
Black Prince
Medium-sized, round globe variety, purple or very dark red
Deep and sweetly flavored, firm texture
Sprinkle wedges with vinaigrette and fresh herbs for a simple treat; pair with Rogue Creamery Oregon Blue to match the tomato’s sweetness with a wonderful blue cheese
Sun Gold
Small, cherry variety, dark yellow or almost orange
Tangy-sweet, a fruity pop of flavor
Perfect for an anytime snack, tossing into quick salads, baking on pizzas and flatbreads and pairing with Parrano cheese
Black Cherry
Small, cherry variety, purple or dark red
Very sweet, highly flavored
Great in salads, roasting whole, baking into focaccia and pairing with Monterey Jack for a cream-of-tomato soup flavor combination
If you’re in love with heirlooms, leave a comment below by Wednesday, August 28th and tell me why you think they're such special tomatoes. We’ll pick one winner at random to receive a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card so you can fill your basket with these beauties. You'll need some lovely kitchen tools to go with all those heirlooms. The winner will also get a beautiful handmade salvaged wood cutting board opens in a new tab from Gray Works Design on Etsy, Julia Rothman’s tomato art dish towels opens in a new tab from Anthropologie, a wood-handled tomato knife opens in a new tab from Williams-Sonoma, letter-pressed tomato greeting cards opens in a new tab from Pioneer House on Etsy, and The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook opens in a new tab. That’s a prize worth about $250!
The time is ripe! Heirlooms are at their prime time for devouring right now, so start enjoying heirlooms every chance you get before the short peak season ends.
Tell me, why do you love heirloom tomatoes?
