Cooking Essentials
The Profile
25 Summer-Fresh Recipes With Homegrown Tomatoes
If you started a vegetable garden in the spring, you’re more than likely harvesting goodies daily for use in all sorts of delicious dishes. Homegrown tomatoes have long been coveted gems in the South as they may be added to everything from appetizers & salads to main course savory soups, chilis, tarts & pies. A tomato sandwich slathered with handcrafted homemade mayonnaise on Farmhouse White Bread is always a wonderful choice for heirloom slicing varieties such as Brandywine & Cherokee Purples but there are so many exciting yet simple flavor combinations that may be paired in order to make nutritious, new summer suppers. Over the next several weeks, I will be showcasing a collection of homegrown tomatoes, recipes & ideal accompaniments designed to make good use of your family’s crop so drop in daily for inspiration. If you see something that strikes you but you didn’t grow a particular type, these tomato styles are available from farm markets & stands right now so pick them up & get ready to try some new ideas.
Tomatoes are generally classified as slicing, cherry, grape or paste tomatoes for simple reference purposes making them ideal for specific recipe tasks. The sugar content will vary slightly according to the different types. Use this essential guide to make selections for a range of everyday & entertaining needs.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
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How To Harvest & Store Tomatoes
Never place tomatoes in the refrigerator as the texture will deteriorate rather quickly. Although vine ripened are best, tomatoes may be stored in a bright location in your kitchen as their color & flavor will continue to develop. Rinse them under cool tap water just before using them.
The Essential Guide To Tomatoes
Use this reference when visiting farm stands, markets or choosing seeds to grow in your own garden.
No. 1
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes have long been known as perfect contenders for salads. Their small size & plump round shape offer excellent texture, flavor & vibrant color to many summer classic recipes. Good yellow tomato selections include Little Blonde Girl which is an heirloom tomato with notes of citrus balanced with a bit of sweet flavor or Hartman’s Yellow Gooseberry when sweet flavor is desired, an heirloom tomato known to produce an abundance of fruit. Sunsugar is an excellent choice as well. When a classic red color is desired, you can’t go wrong with Super Sweet 100’s & Gardener’s Delight. Black Cherry has a purple skin that is beautiful for use in starters & Sungold may be identified by bold orange hues.
No. 2
Grape Tomatoes
Grape tomatoes are petite in size with an elongated shape. They tend to be a bit more firm in texture compared to cherry tomatoes. Golden Honey Bunch taste best when the clusters of fruit are abundant & display a rich, vibrant color while Yellow Riesentraube offers good sweet notes to many recipe favorites. Red picks include Five Star Grape & Tami G.
No. 3
Paste Tomatoes
Oval-shaped paste tomatoes, often referred to as plum tomatoes, are good choices for preparing sauces & canning applications which include Golden Roma for smooth, sweet flavor & Yellow Bell that may be relied on for an abundance of fruit that matures quickly. Look for classic San Marzano, Granadero or Plum Regal when red varieties are desired.
No. 4
Slicing Tomatoes
Slicing tomatoes may be used for a variety of recipe applications from tarts to making a simple sandwich. They may range from heirloom tomatoes which simply means that they are produced from old beloved seeds prized for their rich, reliable flavor, texture & appearance or other types. Lemon Boy are known for their rich, sweet taste & offer fruit that matures early with a weight of approximately 7 to 9-ounces each while Yellow Brandywine tomatoes are an heirloom variety known for fruit that ripens early in the season. Classic red favorites include Beefsteak & Better Boy.
No. 5
Green Tomatoes
In the late 1880’s, savvy gardeners began frying tomatoes as a solution of what to do with fruit still on the vine in order to prevent food waste when cooler weather was on the horizon. Slicing tomatoes such as Beefsteak & Better Boy have long been good contenders for this application, however other smaller varieties may be used if you so please.
The Tune
“Summertime” Billie Holiday
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