well helooooo there mr. stripey!

As far as I am concerned, there could be no better representation of the peak of summer as the heirloom tomato.  These fanciful tomatoes grow in a multitude of varieties with names that will evoke a little giggle such as the Hillbilly and Green Zebra, or arouse your curiosity like the Cherokee Purple and the Mortgage Lifter.   While some are quite enchanting with names like Jubilee, Mirabell, and Elfin.

If you haven never tried an heirloom tomato (first off, I'm a bit disappointed!), a Mr. Stripey is a good place to start.  Mild in flavor and texture, this tomato is really quite versatile.  You can find a variety of heirlooms at the local farmers market, just ask around and start trying all kinds of varietals.

The definition of an heirloom (as far as how old the seed has to be) ranges from 50 to up to 100 years but the significance doesn't change.  With agribusiness and mono-crops growing, it is ever more important to be growing and preserving seeds of the past to feed the future.  There are two fabulous groups out there right now that I am aware of:  Renewing America's Food Tradition better known as RAFT and the Ark of Taste.  These two organizations are focused on "saving cherished slow foods through rediscovering and cataloguing" endangered seeds.  There is so much to be said for these two groups please stay tuned for blogs dedicated to RAFT and ARK for more information!  

Ultimately, whether you try them for their history or to support your local farmer or merely for the imaginative names, I promise you, you won't be disappointed!