5 Heirloom Tomatoes To Seek Out This Summer
With 200 favorites out of the 500 heirloom tomato varieties she grows on her farm in New York's Hudson River Valley, it's hard for author and expert gardener Amy Goldman to pick just one. Instead, she nominated her "favorite favorite" tomato from each of these 5 categories: globe, beefsteak, cherry, plum and currant. She suggests looking for these and other heirloom tomatoes at your farmers' market or growing them yourself next summer. -Elizabeth Bruner
Don't Miss: New & Delicious Ways to Eat Tomatoes This Summer
1. Aunt Gertie's Gold Tomatoes
The tangerine skin and deep orange flesh of this beautiful orange globe tomato make it irresistible to the eye. These tomatoes are best enjoyed fresh-try them in our Tomato Salad with Tarragon Pesto & Pumpernickel Croutons.
Tomato Salad with Tarragon Pesto & Pumpernickel Croutons
2. Big Rainbow Tomatoes
This bicolored beefsteak tomato has bright yellow skin tinged with blush-pink or crimson and can weigh up to two pounds. Try them in our colorful Tomato Sandwiches with Basil-Anchovy Mayo.
Tomato Sandwiches with Basil-Anchovy Mayo
3. Black Cherry Tomatoes
These fruity, cherry-shaped tomatoes are maroon-almost black-in color and have deep wine-colored flesh. Serve them along with other cherry tomatoes in this Persian Cucumber & Tomato Salad with Preserved Lemon.
4. Orange Banana Tomato
An import from Russia, these deep-orange plum tomatoes are best oven-roasted or pureed in a sauce. They provide tons of delicious flavor in this Herbed Tomato Gratin recipe.
5. Sara's Galapagos Tomato
A red currant tomato that Goldman discovered on a trip to the Galapagos Islands with her daughter, Sara, in 2002. She brought seeds back to the U.S. and now you can find them in select seed catalogs. Enjoy these tomatoes straight off the vine or try them in our Fresh Asparagus-Tomato Salad recipe.
More Healthy Recipes & More