The Beauty of Heirloom Tomatoes

We're thick into the August harvest and local produce is plentiful. Gorgeous, ripe tomatoes that burst with fresh flavor fill my CSA basket and farmers' market tables every week. With so many varied uses, the tomato is a versatile ingredient that makes its way into numerous main dishes, soups, sauces, chilis, and more. It's also easily preserved and can even be frozen as-is for cooking in future recipes, making it a favorite with gardeners and homesteaders. Heirloom tomatoes are open-pollinated, which means they reproduce through the natural means of wind, water, or insects, and seeds are passed down through generations. They tend to have a shorter shelf-life than standard tomatoes, which are hybrid seeds that are produced for a uniform appearance and disease-resistance qualities. They grow in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, and generally have a sweeter or deeper profile taste and juicier texture than standard tomatoes. While heirloom tomatoes are perfectly delectable when cooked, their delicious flavor shines most brightly in raw preparations. That said, my absolute favorite recipe for heirloom tomatoes is a Caprese salad. Named for the island of Capri that is situated off the coast of Italy where it is believed to have originated, Caprese salad (or Insalata Caprese) is wonderfully simple with only a handful of ingredients: tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, aromatic basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper. With fresh basil also bountiful this deep into the season, we eat Caprese salad almost weekly, especially during those sweltering heat waves when no one wants to turn on the oven. It's a summertime go-to that comes together in mere minutes. When we make it, thick slices of several varieties of heirloom tomatoes are layered with sliced mozzarella and topped with chiffonade cuts of basil, drizzled with olive oil, and lightly seasoned with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. No measuring or fooling around with amounts. Easy-peasy. While fresh mozzarella can be a pricey ingredient, the logs that I purchase tend to last for several salads and sometimes a few can be snagged on sale. The small balls of mozzarella are another good option for this salad, as would be burrata. While sometimes recipes call for a balsamic glaze drizzle in addition to the olive oil, we tend to stay true to the basic recipe. Until this week, that is, when our kind neighbors gifted us with a basket of freshly picked peaches from their beautiful tree. It's been a great year for peaches, and their tree is laden with the stone fruit. Grilled peaches have become a popular preparation on social media, and we were quick to jump on the mouthwatering trend. My son threw several halves that I oiled generously right onto the hot grill grate for three or four minutes and they were good to go, no moving or flipping required. Those brightly hued peach halves nestled between the multi-colored tomato slices, green basil, and white cheese made for an eye-appealing dish and when eaten together, the sweet peach perfectly complemented the other salty, savory, and rich flavors. Yum with a capital Y. The slightly charred peaches also paired very well with the grilled chicken he had prepared as a protein and the corn-on-the-cob side dish, so I have a strong suspicion that we'll be adding them to our summertime grilling menu for the long term. While there's no doubt that the amazing flavors of heirloom tomatoes can stand on their own in a Caprese salad, or any salad, it doesn't hurt to add a little touch of sweet goodness to the story every now and again.