I consider tomatoes gold from the earth. Those who know me know a really good tomato can make my day. Pair it with a really good loaf of bread, fresh mozzarella + a very good olive oil and balsamic, now that's GOOD STUFF!
Looking forward to a good summer's yield from my tomato plants. This year my tomato plants need a good blast of sunshine and steady heat like spring of last year. So far, it's been a bit too cool, we'll see what the rest of June brings.
I’m anticipating the mouthwatering plates I will create with my seven tomato varieties, including Pesto al Trapanese. I pick varieties with multi-purpose in mind; cooking, sides dishes and just eating tomatoes simply with a drizzle of a good quality olive oil. You'll notice my selected plantings don’t all ripen at once; with the first of the bounty in 52 days and the later maturing in 78 days.
Early Girl, ripe 52 Days
La Roma, ripe 62 Days
Grape, Summer Sweet, ripe 75 Days
Cherry, Super Sweets, ripe 65 Days
Burpee Big Boys, ripe 78 Days
Green Zebra, ripe 78 Days
Beefsteak, Beefmaster, ripe 78 Days
Sang Lee Farms: Heirloom tomatoes include: EVERGREEN, STRIPED GERMAN, LEMON BOY, STRIPED CAVERN & mixed specialty cherry tomatoes.
When ripened, I can step right outside my backdoor for a fresh pick, but I also rely on the high quality farm stands thankfully available in my local surrounding communities. The people who organize and support these markets have true passion for sustainable lifestyle and the importance of these quality goods being readily available. Although you can get most high quality seasonal items at any stand, one on-farm market I filmed was with Fred Lee. As most of my farming friends his family history is rich in the earth. Ever adapting and changing from suppling bok-choy in decades past for NYC Chinese restaurants to today's high demand of micro greens & heirloom tomatoes (where there are more varities than you can imagine) at Sang Lee Farms, in Peconic-North Fork, LI. For more on farms on Long Island and the East End, visit my friends at Long Island Farm Bureau.
George Hirsch Living it UP! TV SERIES: watch the video
