What's...um...Not Cooking? Tomatoes Please

I can't imagine why people shy away from heirloom tomatoes. Ok, so perhaps many of them look a little malformed, or diseased. But to me they are beautiful; each one is unique; each shape has its own story.

More importantly, these ugly tomatoes taste delicious. Recent research has shown that the uniform, red(dish), and firm tomatoes found year-round on grocery shelves are actually genetically inferior in taste! There are also a couple of other factors that could influence the taste of these heritage fruits. Heirlooms tend not to transport well, so they are most often produced locally and picked when ripe!

There is also a greater variety of colors, sizes, and flavors to be found among the heirlooms varieties. In fact, thousands of varieties of tomatoes exist, though we rarely see more than one or two in the produce department. And each one has its own character and charm. I'm currently attempting to grow some Sungold cherry tomatoes, Valencia, and a couple of others, so stay tuned to see how these turn out!

Ugly Tomato Salad 
1 large heirloom tomato, or a couple smaller
1/2 ear sweet corn
3 basil leaves
Sea salt to taste
Dash of good olive oil (optional)

1. Super easy. Slice tomato. Shave off the corn from the cob. Chop the basil. Sprinkle with salt (and maybe oil). Toss. Enjoy!

Check out other summer goodies on Wellness Weekends (barely squeaking in this time!)