The news is good
At top is a stack of real Bradley tomatoes, trucked into LR by a Monticello friend yesterday. I"ve been through three or four pounds already. They are tremendous.
The smaller shot, not such high quality photography I'll grant, are slices remaining from a spectacular brandywine tomato grown by Al Leveritt, the Naked Farmer and publisher of this newspaper, and a devotee of organically grown heirloom tomatoes. We made BLTs for lunch today with the brandywine and they simply don't get any better. But it occurred to me that it profanes them to mix them with bacon, lettuce, bread and mayo. So I held back some slices to eat on their lonesome.
I noticed that Boulevard Bread had a heaping bin of heirloom tomatoes this morning, too. Last year was a washout for tomatoes. The news this year looks and tastes good. If you're lucky, some of Farmer Al's brandywines, plus several other heirloom varieties including a golden he's particularly proud of, are on offer at Hardin's Produce in the River Market. Pricey, but worth every penny.
Comments
Naked Farmer, huh? I'll say one thing. Skin cancer, boy.
But for a Brandywine -- mine succumbed to some kind of fungus before I got them transplanted, but I have Germans, store bought Big Boys, Pineapple and assorted little guys planted -- I could avert my eyes.
Posted by: Doigotta![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/eatarkansas/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 30, 2007 01:48 PM
Max, it appears from your photo that you are of the same tribe as my father - only eating fresh, homegrown tomatoes if they've been peeled.
Am I right?
I, personally, like the skin on. It takes too long to peel several large (and bumpy, if they're homegrown) 'maters. And I like the skin to hold in all those juices and seeds and such.
Finally, does anyone know of a place in Conway where I can get some of these beauties?
ARK. BLOG: I like them either way. But my wife prefers them with the skin off, so I oblige her if I have time.
Posted by: Liberal and Proud![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/eatarkansas/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 2, 2007 07:30 AM
I have not tried this myself, but I've seen it done. You can easily peel a tomato by placing it in a slotted spoon and *briefly* immersing it in boiling water. The skin then slides off rather easily, once it is knicked with a fork or knife.
The immersion must be brief, so that the heat does not penetrate or cook the flesh itself.
Myself, I don't mind tomato skins. Isn't that where most of the lycopene and other antioxidants reside?
Posted by: widj![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/eatarkansas/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 2, 2007 01:31 PM
At least one seller on the West end of the farmer's market regularly sells Bradley variety pinks (as opposed to Bradley County grown) tomatoes, in addition to the tasteless shipping varieties.
Also, just read this week's Ark. Times. Please tell the "Observer" that the Pink Tomato Festival is in Warren, not Monticello.
ARK. BLOG: Long story short. Monticello was on my brain because a Monticello friend had just brought me a box of Bradleys from Warren. Embarrassing. But very good tomatoes.
Posted by: arkansaist![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/eatarkansas/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 6, 2007 01:25 PM
Here's an interesting post on tomatoes from Harold McGee, guru of the science of cooking, that it's really the jelly -- not the meat -- of the tomato with the most flavor. (click on my name for link.)
I don't squeeae the tomatoes and seeds unless I'm making a salad.
ARK. BLOG: I don't do it then. Squeeze tomato juice out? Nuts.
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July 6, 2007 03:18 PM
Here's the link (I hope)
Posted by: arkansaist![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/eatarkansas/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 6, 2007 03:19 PM
test
Posted by: Photowyre![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/eatarkansas/nav-commenters.gif)
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December 2, 2008 04:53 PM