By Jessica Sforza
Heirloom tomatoes have become one of my favorite summertime snacks, and this is coming from someone who wanted absolutely nothing to do with them a year ago. I was one of those people who loved tomato sauce and ketchup, but did not care for the actual fruit itself. I thought that they tasted pulpy and had a distinct mouth feel that I did not particularly enjoy. However, that all changed when I went to a cooking class with one of my best friends at Boisseaux Cooking School last August.
The Boisseaux Cottage is a place where you can take a cooking class (amongst other things) in a small group setting with the lovely Paula Croteau, a cookbook author and culinary instructor who runs the program alongside her husband Markis. The cottage sits on the East End of Long Island in Southold, a town buried deep in the North Fork that is overflowing with family-run farms that have been around for generations. I never thought that this woman would turn me into an heirloom tomato lover, but her Peach Burrata Salad sealed the deal for me.
In class, participants were encouraged to take turns prepping different dishes. When it came time to cube the tomatoes, I could not get over how different each one looked. They came in so many fun shapes, colors, and sizes, which was the first thing that piqued my interest and made me curious about trying them, on top of everything else they would be slathered in that I love – olive oil, burrata, pickled red onions, and basil. Thinking about it now is making my mouth water! Luckily for me, I found out that the heirloom tomatoes in the salad did not taste like any other tomato I’d eaten before. They were sweet and juicy and blended with the other ingredients in perfect harmony.
Now every time I get the chance to buy one, I pounce on the opportunity. Not only are they great as a side, but they can double as a summery appetizer, like Caprese – an Italian concoction of tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Heirloom tomatoes are beginning to appear at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market and are available to purchase at several different vendors, including Shushan Valley Hydro Farm, Gomez Veggie Ville, Owl Wood Farm, Lovin’ Mama Farm, and Leaning Birch Farm. Others will also have heirloom varieties, so keep your eyes peeled for those! No matter which way you slice them, heirloom tomatoes are super versatile and great anytime, whether you want them for a light meal, a barbecue, or a casual dinner on your back porch.
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open Wednesdays, 3–6 pm, and Saturdays, 9 am–1 pm, at High Rock Park in Saratoga Springs. Visit https://saratogafarmersmarket.org to sign up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
