THE APPLE OF LOVE
Q: They’re tasty, but are tomatoes good for you?
A member of the nightshade family, tomatoes, or apples of love as they were once known, were introduced to the world following the Spanish conquest of Central America in the 1500s. While it is now a staple ingredient in cuisines the world over, the last 500 years has seen this lush fruit compete with the rosebud as a token of love, named as the subject of numerous court battles and decreed as poisonous. Despite its controversial history, 2008 saw 130 million tonnes of tomatoes produced worldwide, with China leading the charge at a staggering 33 million tonnes per annum.
Technically a fruit, the tomato is most commonly used as a vegetable. This is due to the glusamate content of the tomato which gives it a rich flavour that sits somewhere between sweet and savoury, making them perfect for eating both fresh and cooked.
The tomatoes we see today are nothing like the fruit first cultivated in the Americas. Over the years, tomatoes have been specifically bred for the purposes of increased disease resistance and aesthetic appeal. These programs have resulted in higher yields for farmers and the dominance of tomatoes that are uniform of shape and intense of colour i.e. the round, red fruit we see today. Unfortunately, many people believe that these programs have also resulted in loss of flavour and texture.
With this in mind, we have seen a widespread increase in demand for heirloom (heritage) varieties, organic, truss and vine-ripened fruits, as they offer the most authentic tomato experience.
Beyond these distinctions, there are many other tomato varieties that are worth including on the plate:
BEEFSTEAK OXHEART (Heirloom):
Availability: One of the favourite heirlooms, the oxheart is currently in short supply (as are all heirlooms) but is about to hit peak
Description: Large, very fragrant heirlooms. Tend to have a stripy skin with background
Flavour: Juicy with solid meat
Best Use: Slicing, sandwiches
BELLA ROSSA (loose):
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Appear similar to baby roma but are more square than egg shaped.
Flavour: Firm and sweet
Best Use: Salads, snacking, roasting whole
BLACK KUMATO:
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Dark brown/red when ripe
Flavour: Low in acid which makes them very sweet with a distinctive ‘kumato’ flavour
Best Use: Colour adds a unique twist to gourmet dishes. Dark brown are good for gourmet dishes, salads, sandwiches. Dark red is good for soups and sauces.
BLACK KUMATO- GRAPE:
Availability: Generally available
Description: Hydroponically grown these are a new variety. Dark chocolate.
Flavour: Low in acid which makes them very sweet with a distinctive ‘kumato’ flavour
Best Use: Snacking, salads, pasta sauces
BLACK RUSSIAN (Heirloom):
Availability: December - March
Description: Medium sized with dark olive skin and chocolate, red flesh
Flavour: Sweet
Best Use: Adding colour to a gourmet dish, salad
CHERRY (available loose or truss):
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small variety, around 2cm in diameter. Mainly sold as yellow or red fruit, though it is possible to get heirloom cherry and grape medley packs
Flavour: Sweet and crunchy. The yellow fruit tends to have less acid and therefore be sweeter again
Best Use: Salads, roasting whole, snacking
GOURMET/FIELD/ROUND:
Availability: Generally available
Description: These are the standard round, red tomato we know and love
Flavour: Rich, full flavour
Best Use: All rounder
GRAPE:
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small oval (approx 4cm) that comes to a point. Mainly sold as red or yellow fruit (yellow is slightly smaller), though it is possible to get heirloom cherry and grape medley packs
Flavour: The red and yellow varieties are very sweet due to their high sugar content
Best Use: Snacking
ROMA: (available loose or truss)
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Medium sized, elongated oval fruit that is rich red when ripe
Flavour: Sweet and juicy
Best Use: A plum tomato, low water and seed content make them perfect for cooking. Hold shape well under heat.
ROMA- BABY
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small, generally about half the size of full Romas
Flavour: Intensely sweet, not as sweet as cherry tomatoes but still tasty
Best Use: Salads, sandwiches, antipasto, roasting, BBQ
TEARDROP/PEAR:
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Description: Small fruit shaped like a pear/teardrop, this tomato can be red or yellow
Flavour: Mild and juicy, yellow teardrops have no acid and are very sweet
Best Use: Salads, snacking
MEDLEY:
Medley punnets showcase a variety of heirloom cherry and grape tomatoes, that bring a fantastic array of flavours, textures and colours to the plate.
Availability: Generally available, though supply can fluctuate throughout the year
Best Use: Salads, snacking
A: Tomatoes are a nutritionist's dream. Generally a good source of vitamin C, E, A and fibre, they are set apart by their high lycopene content. One of the most powerful, natural antioxidants, lycopene has been proven to ward off various types of cancer by preventing the growth of cancerous cells. In fact, scientists believe that just one glass of tomato juice a day could have a huge impact on your future health. Interestingly, the lycopene in a tomato is not compromised by the cooking process, in fact the lycopene levels increase making it even more beneficial to the consumer.
TRUE LOCAL
Q: With the urban sprawl of Sydney, do we have truly local produce available?
The Crave, Sydney International Food Festival is well and truly underway with Sydneysiders (and travelling foodies) basking in the glow of World Class chefs and the latest food trends. Despite its international focus, the festival keeps some things close to home. The 100 mile meal challenge, is a series of events that throw down the gauntlet to Sydney chefs, challenging them to host an event where their menu is made up entirely of locally grown produce. There are over twenty 100 mile meal events being held this year, with sustainability champion Jared Ingersoll from Cotton Duck going so far as to host a 10 mile waddle.
Outside of the Crave Festival, Sydney chefs are increasingly requesting local produce; actively embracing the market culture and the benefits of using seasonal ingredients with low food miles. A prime example is the redesign of Café Opera at the Intercontinental Hotel, where Executive Head Chef Tamas Pamer and Executive Sous Chef Julien Pouteau took on the challenge of using seasonal, locally produced ingredients in their signature buffet.
Simon George & Sons works closely with Sydney producers and has a strong offering of local produce this Spring, much of which is grown within 50 miles of Sydney, never mind 100! To prepare your palate for the 100 Mile Meals series, here is a snapshot of some of our best produce from close to home:
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Exotic Mushrooms- Oyster (white, pink, yellow), Nameko, Enoki, Gold Enoki, Porcini, Shimeji, Shitake, Swiss Brown, Woodear
Heirloom Carrots- Purple, White, Yellow
Carrots- Golfball, Dutch
Beetroot- Standard, Baby Beetroot, Baby Goldne Beetroot
Edible Flowers- Season about to start
Asian Veges- Most ranges
Zucchini Flowers
PANTRY STAPLES
Tomatoes- Truss, Cherry Truss, Roma
Hydroponic Lettuce- Baby Cos
Lettuce- Cos, Iceberg
Garden Vegetables- Shallots, Spring Onions, Radish etc
Herbs- Basil, Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme etc
Sprouts and Shoots- Bean Sprouts
Cucumber- Telegraph, Lebanese
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Silverbeet
English Spinach
Strawberries
Chicory/Witlof
Rhubarb
Lemons
Eggs
Get into the spirit of 100 Mile Meals with your own local produce menu. Contact Simon George & Sons for more information on this season’s best local produce.
A: Yes. Greater Sydney produces 7% of the state’s total agriculture and 12% of its total vegetables. The Sydney region overall produces 90% of the fresh Asian vegetables consumed in the state and 80% of its fresh mushrooms (Ecos Magazine). In 05/06, the Hawkesbury produced $61 million worth of veges, fruit and eggs, Penrith $32 million, Liverpool 19million, Camden $17milion and Campbelltown $3.4 million (Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036). Now that’s true local.