BADSEED'S full weekly newsletter
for July 13, 2012, is found at:
Dearest Eaters -
There is only one word that can adequately describe my farm in it's current state: CRUNCHY. The brittle grass literally crunches under my feet as I walk. With each and every step my heart breaks a little bit more and the striking evidence of drought consumes me. For any farmer, their land is like their mother. They depend on it wholly. It pains them greatly to see it suffer and they would give their own blood to save it. Aaaahhhh....Good Earth! What can we do? Nothing. Only wait...work hard...and pray for rain.
Despite such horrid conditions - the good news is this: HEIRLOOM TOMATOES (!!!) and LOTS OF THEM. Once established, tomatoes tend to do okay in hot, dry weather. In fact, they taste even better when "dry-farmed". The fruits (although smaller) are packed with flavor and the texture is superior.
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This Friday, at the BADSEED Farmers' Market, we are celebrating the almighty TOMATO in all its' magnificent forms. At URBAVORE, we grow 37 mind-boggling varieties and they will be hitting the market tables with a BANG. So, in preparation for the (delicious) onslaught of full-blown TOMATO SEASON, how about some food for thought:
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES 101
What the heck are they??
Heirloom Tomatoes are super sexy, open-pollinated cultivars that have been passed down from generation to generation. They come in every shape, size and color imaginable with fabulous names and heart-warming histories. Some of my favorites include Japanese Black Trifele (a ruby-purple pear shaped tomato with the richness of fine chocolate), Green Zebra (a lime green perfectly round beauty with yellow stripes and tangy refreshing flavor), and White Tomesol (a large and luscious cream-colored fruit packed with heavenly juice that runs down your chin and brings tears to your eyes!!). The list goes on and on but before I call it quits I gotta mention this last one: Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter. This brilliant pink, thick-fleshed beefsteak tomato (similar to the coveted brandywine) was developed back in the 40’s in West Virginia by an auto mechanic and avid gardener known to his customers as “Radiator Charlie”. Each spring gardeners would come from as far as 200 miles away to buy Charlie’s tomato seedlings for $1 each. Over the next 6 years, profits from his tomato enterprise went to pay off the $6000 mortgage on his home!
How do I pick the good ones??
With so many varieties and so many options, the discerning Farmers' Market Shopper can go a little insane. My advice is to TRY THEM ALL!! However, it is important to understand that COLOR TENDS TO DICTATE FLAVOR.
PINK Tomatoes tend to be mild & sweet yet full-bodied, rich, and satisfying.
BLACK or PURPLE Tomatoes have chocolate-y undertones; they are divine and decadent beyond comprehension!
YELLOW Tomatoes are mild yet complex, their low-acid flesh pairs well with Pinks and Blacks.
WHITE Tomatoes are angelic, light, and oh sooo juicy.
GREEN Tomatoes are tart yet sweet, sometimes even spicy (!!) and they have the most refreshing "bite".
RED Tomatoes scream bold & classic tomato flavor, but lack complexity.
STRIPED or BI-COLORED Tomatoes are all the rage. What can I say? It's a party in your mouth!!
What else should I know??
NEVER REFRIGERATE TOMATOES!! It will kill their flavor and ruin their texture.
Well, well shoppers - that should get you on your way to sheer tomato bliss. If you are craving more "heirloom tomato talk" check out the recipe for "Heirloom Tomato Stacks" below.
See you Friday!!
...oh yeah... one more thing - El Tenedor - a wonderful food cart that uses local/organic ingredients will be preparing Spanish tapas and gourmet crepes THIS FRIDAY at BADSEED using our heirloom tomatoes!! You gotta come out and try one!!!!!
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RECIPE OF THE WEEK
**I include this recipe every year during the height of tomato season!
Heirloom Tomato Stacks with Fresh Sheep's Cheese & Purple Ruffles Basil
"the sexiest heirloom tomato dish known to mankind" 
This dish is super easy and decadent beyond all comprehension:
Take 4 (strikingly different) varieties of heirloom tomatoes and cut them into thick slices. Then build your stacks sandwiching Green Dirt Farm cheese and Purple Ruffles Basil in between each layer.
I make mine 4 layers high with a nice big pink beefsteak as my base (try a Brandywine or a Mortgage Lifter) followed by a Green Zebra (a lime green beauty with yellow stripes and tangy refreshing flavor), a Purple Calabash (a ruby-purple, superbly ribbed tomato with the richness of fine chocolate), and lastly an Ivory Egg (a dainty, pear-shaped tomato with blushing cream-colored flesh and a light angelic flavor). I drizzle the finished masterpiece with a little extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of Sicilian sea-salt, and a painfully decadent balsamic reduction.
Enjoy!!
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Sexy Veggie of the Week
This week's Runner-Up is the deeply delicious Swallow Eggplant.
This week's Grand-Prize-Winner is the classic Brandywine Heirloom Tomato.
Pictures are attached. You know the drill - print them out, blow them up, and plaster them all over the men's room!!
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THIS WEEK'S ORGANIC OFFERINGS
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...read on... BADSEED'S full weekly newsletter
for July 13, 2012, is found at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wjAlGUgtv6yXAimiWMz495HrEH_m1siOIx5snsTdfic/edit
Yours Truly,
Brooke
-farmer and mistress of the BADSEED
Brooke
-farmer and mistress of the BADSEED
BADSEED
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