Basic Facts about Heirloom Tomatoes.

Ever Wondered… What is an heirloom tomato? What makes them different from normal tomatoes?

A lot of times when you go to the store you see a lot of tomatoes that are about the same size with perfect redness and that wonderful vibrant red we have all come to expect from our tomatoes. They usually are free from any blemishes and they all have a pretty uniform look. In my mind for many years I thought this was how a tomato was supposed to look.

But we were wrong. Those perfectly plump red tomatoes that you find at your nearby store, well they are a hybridized tomato that has been cross pollinated to form a genetic mutation that causes them to look this way. That doesn’t sound very delicious does it?
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This is why more people are going towards the heirloom variety which has more variety in their look and more taste in their bite. Their colors range from orange to yellow, to green, to red. They may not have that perfect appearance and sometimes you may find lines on the top of the tomato. Don’t let that frighten you these are how tomatoes are supposed to look. These are how tomatoes are supposed to taste. Even though a tomato is an heirloom variety does not mean its organic. Why heirloom is the variety of the plant, the growing method is determines if its organic or not. If pesticides were used its not organic.

To get started go to your nearest farmers market to pick up a batch. Some popular heirloom varieties are Brandywine, Golden Jubilee, Goldie and Black Cherry. Remember, don’t let the imperfections scare you instead step outside your comfort zone and eat them. Tis the season for tomatoes.