I went to the Durham Farmers Market today to snap up some heirloom tomatoes. Though the Durham Farmer's Market is smaller than the State market in Raleigh, right now they have a wider variety of tomatoes. Mmm!
At the top are some pretty large Cherokee Black tomatoes with a nice deep flavor. Then, going clockwise, is a tomato I just tasted for the first time last week. They're called Brown Romas. They're about half the size of a grocery store Roma, but the flavor is richer and earthier. These were a nice suprise. Continuing around the clock are Green Zebras-- really zingy. Mmm! Then I have some red cherry tomatoes and some Sungold cherry tomatoes.
So what am I going to do with them all? Because I did go crazy. So far I made a salad with the brown romas, lots and lots of fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, salt, pepper, and penne pasta. I think I'm going to make a tomato cobbler with the different cherry tomatoes. The zebras and blacks, I'll probably just enjoy with a little vinegar and olive oil.
First time visitor. I graduated from high school in NC 25 years ago, never looked back. When I read your entry re: tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, I thought - Lord, how times have changed. I had to leave the state to find fresh mozzarella in 1979. I had to leave the *South* before I met a fresh mozzarella. In fact, in 1979, there wasn't much fresh mozzarella anywhere in the USA - but I moved to within a few blocks of Russo's Cheese in NYC, where they made pretty decent versions of it. Exotic stuff in those days.
The food revolution has transformed the whole country, thank goodness.
Good luck in Boston! They have indigenous Italians there, you should be able to get decent fresh mozzarella. And basil, in the summer!
Posted by: Leila | July 10, 2004 at 11:06 PM
Hi Leila!
Times really have changed here-- there is a woman in Chapel Hill who runs a dairy farm-- she makes fresh and smoked mozzarella (and other cheeses) with milk from her own cows! And there's a couple in Chatham County that raises goats to make goat cheese.
Posted by: Shaun | July 11, 2004 at 10:25 AM
I've just found your site, and I must say I'm enjoying reading it. I love to cook. And I love to visit the Farmer's market in DC, where I live. It goes on all year, and you can always get fresh mozzerella or fresh goat cheese. There are lovely heirloom tomatoes and apples, some of which I remember eating as a child. I was intrigued about your reference to Tomato cobbler, sounds lovely. Would you happen to have a recipe for it that you wouldn't mind sharing with a fan?
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Posted by: Anna Luise | January 26, 2005 at 04:51 AM
Interesting site, I love fruit! I'll definitely come back...
Fritz,
http://www.iwork4self.com/summerrecipes/summerrecipes/
Posted by: Fritz | April 21, 2005 at 05:22 AM