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Most heirloom tomatoes look nothing like the uniform, mass-produced red orbs sold in groceries. For starters, they’re a rainbow of colors—yellow, orange, pink, red, green, and purple. Some have more ridges and folds than a Shar-Pei puppy, or bear cosmetic imperfections.  

Fortunately, they also don’t taste like the often mealy and generally bland hybrids commonly found in supermarkets. The flavors of a ripe heirloom boldly dance along the border between sweetness and acidity.

These prized old-fashioned varieties have been selected through the years for their exceptional flavor. But they’re delicate, requiring special care from field to fork.

Hybridized commodity tomatoes are bred and grown for their ability to stand up to cross-country shipment. That makes business sense, but the tradeoff is diminished personality and flavor. Getting a memorable supermarket tomato is a minor miracle.

You won’t go wrong following this rule of thumb: The best tomato is one grown nearby, hybrid or heirloom. 

Savvy gardeners know to save seeds from their favorite heirlooms to germinate and transplant the following April, after the last frost. Tomatoes from those plants are like a wrapped present—a gift from the ground.

Tomatoes start ripening here in early June. They hit their peak during the hottest days of summer, but continue to fruit (yes, one of our favorite “vegetables” really is a fruit, botanically speaking) until the first frost hits in October. 

This time of year, local farmers market stands—and backyard vines—are bursting with colorfully-named heirlooms like Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Pink Brandywine, and Persimmon.

Picked at their peak, they are ready to fill a classic ‘mater sandwich, be sliced and eaten raw with a dash of salt, or cooked into a sauce that’s so tasty it makes people swoon.

For chefs throughout the state, tomato season is cause for culinary celebration. Most popular are takes on tomato-centric salads that showcase contrasting colors, textures, and flavors.

Chris Hastings’ signature tomato salad from Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham is, essentially, a deconstructed succotash featuring field peas, corn, and okra covering an elegant stack of sliced heirlooms topped with bacon. The Bottle restaurant in Huntsville matches heritage tomatoes with fried okra, lettuce, and arugula. Acre in Auburn marks the season this year with tomato salad, seasoned sliced heirlooms, and comforting tomato soup. An annual summertime favorite at Brick and Tin in Mountain Brook is the tomato panino with pesto and house-made aioli.

At home, anchor a veggie-centric “charcuterie” board with several varieties of heirlooms. These are the tomatoes to rub or spoon on toasted or grilled rustic bread for a Spanish-style Pan con Tomate or Basque-style Pa Amb Tomaquet.

Their bold flavors sing in cold soups like gazpacho, salsas, and quick-cooked pasta sauces. Heirlooms are perfect for juicing (and making Bloody Marys), or blending into a vinaigrette. 

In general, heirlooms progress along the sweet-tart scale from orange-fleshed to yellow, pink, purple, red, and finally green. But that’s not a hard and fast rule.

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Here are a few summer sensations to look for in Alabama:

• Cherokee purple: With a red to purplish exterior skin and flesh, they have a rich, smoky flavor.
• German Johnson: Huge—some reach two pounds—this pink-fleshed, smooth-skin variety packs big flavors.
• Pink Brandywine: Slightly sweet but relatively balanced, it’s versatile—good for eating raw or cooking.
• Persimmon: Fans say this tangy yellow-hued tomato is best served raw.
• Valencia: Orange and meaty, with few seeds, some describe it as rich and buttery, others sweet and refreshing.
• Green zebra: These tart, citrusy tomatoes also shine brightest when served raw or in a no-cook preparation like gazpacho.
• Kellogg’s Breakfast: Sweet and low in acidity, these juicy orange beauties are great raw or cooked in sauces.

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(Belle Meadow Farm/Facebook)

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The path to tomato nirvana starts with your favorite growers or the people working at farm stands, learning about the varieties they carry, their flavors, and best uses.

Then buy a rainbow and put them to a tomato taste test at home. Your taste buds will thank you.

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