Heirloom Tomatoes

 

Garden bounty including Green Zebra, Black Zebra, Black Krim, Indian Striped and Golden Nuggets

It's been a very long time since my last post. Hopefully the vibrant colour and impact of this post will make up for the recent lack of attendance. 

For the past few years I have been diligently saving tomato seeds; especially the precious heirloom varieties surfacing in local market gardens like rare gems unearthed from relative obscurity. My first inspiration were the Sungolds, a brilliant orange cherry-tomato variety that taste like explosions of radiant sunshine with every mouthful. 

My friend and local organic farmer Milan Djordevich aka The Tomato Man of Stoney Paradise organic farm grows these tasties in abundance, delivering them personally to high-end Kelowna and Vancouver restaurants and selling out at the popular Trout Lake Farmer's Market in Vancouver.

Upon discovery that tomatoes didn't really taste or resemble the tasteless facsimiles found in commercial grocery stores, I started collecting and saving seeds wherever possible and growing my own. I discovered heirloom varieties at Seedy Saturday, an annual seed swap held at Okanagan College in conjunction with the World Community Film Festival. Here, like-minded, conscientious citizens can purchase heirloom and non-GMO seeds. Present at this well attended gathering is an organization called Seeds of Diversity;  "a Canadian volunteer organization that conserves the biodiversity and traditional knowledge of food crops and garden plants." 

Violet Jaspers

With the increasing pressure and power-grab of organizations such as the infamous Monsanto, my interest in seed saving became more of a valued pastime. As if my interest was not piqued enough, one fortuitous afternoon I found a gift deposited in my mailbox. My friend Lori had dropped a small packet containing twelve varieties of heirloom seeds. Along with the varieties I had saved, I embarked on a delicious growing experiment.

Here are my results to date:

Black Zebras will ripen to a deep colour

Most delicious to the tongue and to the eye : Black Krim and Indian Striped

Black Krim, Indian Striped, Persimmon and Nile River Egyptians

Late season varieties ripen well when wrapped in newsprint and stored in a cool place. Be sure to check them often to prevent spoiling of the lot.

heart-shaped Nile River Egyptians

Delicious bounty

Apple doesn't fall too far from the tree

Veggie Delights ~ Burnt garlic roasted yams, sauteed snowpeas and spinach salad with carmelized walnuts and balsamic reduction

Look what my fabulous daughter made! My sixteen-year old has taken a keen interest in the culinary arts and even plans to attend culinary school when she graduates. Here are a few of her recent creations. You can view more of her kitchen prowess by visiting her blog at http://larkinstravels.blogspot.ca/

Mini Cake with gum past roses

Brandysnaps with creamcheesecake filling and blueberries

Valentine's Treat-zza

I am not a stranger to putting a lot of love into my culinary creations and I am pleased to see the labour of love is not lost on my daughter Larkin. For Valentine's Day she created this delectable, heart-shaped pizza. I might also call it Democratic Pizza as everyone had a say in what kind of topping they wanted. Simon called for bacon, I called for roasted garlic and red peppers while Larkin carmelized the yummiest red onions. Food sensitivities opted for goat cheese instead of mozzarella and a deliciously nutty spelt crust in place of wheat. Baked on Simon's clay pizza stone, the use of spelt imparts a wholesome taste and lovely texture to the crust. 

To make this crust simply combine in a glass measure:
2/3 cups of warm water
1 tsp of honey or evaporated cane sugar
1/2 tbsp of olive oil.
1 1/2 tsps of quick-rising yeast    
Let stand for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl combine: 
2 cups organic spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp of salt
Add 2 tbsp of whole or ground flax seeds if desired.

Add water and yeast combination and knead until uniform and smooth.

Stretch out onto a clay pizza stone or pan, covered with parchment paper

Bake at 425 F for about 7-10 minutes or until very lightly browned. 

Remove from oven and add all desired toppings. Replace to the oven and

bake until toppings, cheese and crust are golden brown.

Enjoy 

And what would Valentine's Day be without some cheeky antics?

Photo by my Valentine Simon