Alas, it looks like the tomato gods will keep us waiting another week or two before ripening all of those tomatoes we have been waiting for since June. Patience will be rewarded, though. Many of the farmers have taken to planting heirloom varieties, and when the crops finally ripen, we’ll be treated to such tempting wonders as Brandywine, Black from Tula, Green Zebra and Georgia Streak.

Each heirloom variety has distinct flavor and color characteristics, and the interesting names (besides sounding like race horses) often refer in some way to the color of the tomato (Black from Tula is a dark purplish hue, while Green Zebra has bright green stripes) or to geographical origin.

Heirlooms vegetables are a recent trend in the culinary world, and in addition to tomatoes, a few of the farmers are dabbling in other heirloom vegetables as well, including Chiogga beets, Devils’ Ears lettuce, and Vif d’Etempes pumpkins (Susan and James McGeough of White Gate Farm in Epping even joke that they grow heirloom cows as well—Scottish Highlanders—an uncommon breed that has been purebred for over a thousand years).

So what’s all the fuss about heirlooms? If a vegetable is referred to as “heirloom,” it simply means that the varietal in question is of a pure strain that has been open-pollinated—that is, it has not been cross-pollinated with any other varietal—for at least 50 years.

In the 1940s, prior to advances in transportation, produce was not intended for shipping and handling; it ripened fully on the vine and was either eaten shortly after it was harvested or was canned for later use. After World War II, major advances in the mass-transport of foodstuffs created a need for heartier vegetables that could withstand the perils of shipping. Hybrids were created that could hold for long periods, but with a loss in flavor, texture and visual appeal.

Tomatoes in particular suffered from this hybridization, and most of us who grew up eating from supermarkets in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s had no idea that a tomato could be sweet, juicy and full of flavor, or that tomatoes could come in such an array of colors and sizes.  

Not only were these superior tomatoes unavailable in grocery stores, neither were their seeds available for the home gardener. Most seeds that have been commercially available for the last 60 years are also hybrids, bred for easy growing and easy marketing.

In short, heirlooms are a throwback to those days of yore when food had flavor. Their comeback is the result of consumer demand for more naturally raised and more flavorful vegetables, and their popularity is definitely warranted.

The beauty of heirlooms is that, because they are so flavorful, they stand out in simple summer salads. Classic Italian Insalata Caprese features only three main ingredients—tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella, so the tomatoes need to be full of flavor. Southern Italian Panzanella (bread salad) depends on extra juicy tomatoes to soak into cubes of lightly toasted bread, and Pan Bagnat (literally “bathed bread—see recipe, below) is a Niçoise sandwich in which a hollowed-out baguette is stuffed with a juicy concoction of diced tomatoes, tuna and vinaigrette, then left to soak for an hour or so before it’s sliced and served with a fork. We may have to wait a little longer for our tomatoes this year, but that’s just all the more reason to enjoy them to full effect when they finally arrive.

pan bagnat
yield: 4-6 servings
recipe by Paula Sullivan

2 cups diced tomatoes
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper (any color or colors)
3/4 cup pitted Niçoise olives, rough chopped
1/4 cup capers, rough chopped
4 anchovy filets, minced
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. olive brine
1 Tbsp. caper brine
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 leaves basil, chiffonade
pinch cayenne pepper
cracked pepper, to taste
1 baguette, 18-20 inches
2 cans (5.5 oz. each) solid white tuna in oil, drained

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except baguette and tuna. Toss well to combine. Mixture will be quite juicy.
2. Slice off top third of baguette. Pull out the soft bread from the inside of both the bottom and top of the baguette. Rip bread into small pieces and toss with tomato mixture. Spoon the mixture, with all of the juices, into the baguette. Arrange tuna over the tomato mixture, and place the top of the baguette over the tuna. Press the sandwhich down with the palm of your hand, then cut into 4-6 equal pieces. Sandwiches can be eaten immediately, or wrapped and left to soak for several hours or overnight, then eaten with fork and knife.