Only the most stubborn optimist expects to find tasty tomato in January. But that describes me perfectly! I’ve fought against disappointment with every winter tomato out there: tomatoes with stems attached, hydroponic and organic ones. They may look red, round and ripe but just one bite confirms they are impostors. But there is hope. I enlarged my search to include “strange-looking” tomatoes. Bingo! I found two surprisingly delicious varieties, in my local grocery.
It’s no wonder that I’ve passed them by before. You may have too. One, the Kumato, is a certifiably brown tomato the size of a clementine and sold in a cardboard tray lined up like so many bowling balls. Who would guess these little tomato gems have both a high fructose level and juicy sweet-tart flavor?
The Kumato is a hybrid developed in Spain and introduced to the US market in 2009. Unlike other varieties, its seeds are deliberately withheld from the general public. Their dissemination is controlled by a large Swiss company that treats these seeds as a franchise, selecting growers, dictating growing conditions, marketing practices and, of course, collecting royalties.
The Kumato tomato doesn’t behave like any other tomato I’ve tried. It's sweet and juicy from the moment I bring it home, which is a relief. How is one to determine the ripeness of a brown tomato? I've stored Kumatos in a fruit ripener on my kitchen counter and used them over a two week period without noticing any sign of aging or change in flavor. The Kumato's tangy taste makes it a great salad and sandwich tomato. Roasted with garlic cloves and pureed, it becomes a light, refreshing sauce for fish and pasta.
http://www.chezm.com/welcome-to-recipes/50-beginners-series/719-tomato-sauce
The UglyRipe tomato at first glance looks like a barely ripe, deeply puckered balloon with a white styrofoam collar. It’s royalty, don’t you know! This descendant from French heirloom stock is all solid fruit - it lacks the white core of other tomato varieties. The other difference is that UglyRipes are left to ripen in the field to ensure flavor development. Most tomatoes are picked green and ripen off the vine to their detriment. Each UglyRipe has its own protective covering because it is hand-picked and wrapped for market.
Initially, the sale of UglyRipe tomatoes was restricted to Florida when, in 2003 the Florida Tomato Committee amazingly ruled that it violated the state’s standard tomato shape. The grower had to appeal to the Federal government, and, an exception to the rule was made in 2007.
The robust size and meaty interior of the UglyRipe makes it a perfect choice to place on a bun. In winter, its generous size inspired me to stuff and bake it.
http://www.chezm.com/welcome-to-recipes/44-vegetable-dishes/720-tomato-uglyripe
QUICK DINNER BONUS:
Toss cooked linguine with Roasted Kumato Sauce
Add freshly cooked or leftover fish, chicken or beef.
Garnish with sliced and sauteed red onion and bell peppers.
