That's right! Every year, on a Saturday in July, we gather up as many varieties of tomatoes as we can find at the Market and chop them up for you to taste, compare, and celebrate!
As I'm sure you have seen by now, tomatoes come in lots of different shapes, sizes and colors. They also have very different flavors and textures - some are sweet and smooth others are acidic and tangy, some are meaty while others are juicy. There is a tomato for everyone out there!
A couple of weeks ago, the Market held a smaller tomato tasting at the Wednesday Market. One couple tasted all of the tomatoes on the table and I over heard them talking about the different flavors. They had a long conversation about how the same variety of tomato had a different flavor from different farms. They were so excited about this and we spent some time talking about about the terroir. Terroir is a term that is often used in wine tastings. It is used to describe the distinctive flavor characteristics given to wine from a combination of factors, including soil, climate and environment. Different types of soil have different nutrients that the plants take in which do cause subtle changes to the flavors of the tomatoes. Tomorrow is a great opportunity to taste the terroir in the tomatoes available at the Durham Farmers' Market.
This summer has been a tough year for growing tomatoes (and lots of other crops). The heavy rains have meant that some growers have seen their tomato crop come and go in a short period of time. For others, after weeks of watching green tomatoes sit on the vine, their tomatoes are finally starting to ripen and will have lots tomatoes this week. So, we may not have the huge array of different tomato varieties that we've had then in years past. No matter, we'll celebrate what we have and enjoy the hot, summer weather!
Here's the plan for tomorrow's Tomato Tasting Party...
Shane Ingram, chef and owner of Four Square Restaurant, and his crew will start chopping up tomatoes for sampling around 8:30. All of the tomatoes will be labeled with the variety and the name of the farm where they were grown. Sampling will continue until the tomatoes run out! Shane will be cooking tomato inspired dishes throughout the morning. Once you've tasted all of the tomatoes, take a minute to vote for your favorite tomato variety and put it into the fishbowl. If you are curious where to find your favorite tomato, feel free to ask me or one of the volunteers who are helping out and we'll happily point you in the right direction!
See you at the Market, bright and early!!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager
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Upcoming Events
Saturday July 27th, 8:30-Noon ANNUAL TOMATO TASTING!
Chef Shane Ingram from Four Square Restaurant will be hosting - chopping tomatoes and cooking tomato dishes!
Wednesday July 31, 3:30-5:30pm - Kids Story Hour with Storyteller Cynthia Raxter!
Saturday August 3, 10am - Kickoff of National Farmers' Market Week!
Wednesday August 7th, 3:30pm - Quick Dinners from the Market Demo - Matt Lardie of GreenEatsBlog.com
Saturday August 10th, 10am - Chef in the Market - Chef Adam Rose, Il Palio at the Siena
Fresh this Week....
FRUITS: FIRST SUMMER APPLES, a few FIGS, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Sun Jewel Melons, Blackberries, Blueberries, Peaches
VEGETABLES: FALL ASPARAGUS (very limited quanitity), BUTTER BEANS, PURPLE HULL PEAS, Amaranth Greens, Arugula, Beans (Green, Yellow and Purple), Beets, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards, Cucumbers, Edamame, Fresh & Dried Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Catnip, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Parsley), Eggplant, Frisee, Green Onions, Garlic, Gourds, Kale, Lambs Quarter, Lettuce, Long Beans, Okra, Onions, October Beans, Peppers (Bell, Padron, Shishto, Poblano, Jalepeno, Lombardo, Pepperocini, Yummy, and lots more varieties), Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Radicchio, Salad Mix, Sweet Potato Greens, Swiss Chard, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Zucchini, and more
MEATS AND EGGS: Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Veal, Rabbit
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES:Fresh and aged COW and GOAT milk cheeses.
PLANTS: Bedding, House, and Flower Plants.
FLOWERS: Lisianthus, Tuberose, Black Eyed Susan, Gladiolus, Echinacea, Sunflower, Dahlia, Lily, Zinnia, Mixed Bouquets
SPECIALTY ITEMS: RAW HONEY, creamed Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Pastas, Perogies, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Goats Milk Soaps, Body Butters, Lotions, Yarn, Roving, and much more...
Produce availability depends on weather conditions
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