Produce Briefs...
Italian Black Summer Truffles
Black summer truffles are more subtle than the winter variety. Shave truffle over cooked potatoes, toss with herbs and a shallot vinaigrette. Thinly shave truffle over scrambled eggs.
Mangosteen
The Purple mangosteen, botanical name Garcinia magostana, simply referred to as mangosteen, is an ultra-tropical slow growing evergreen tree that is cultivated for its edible fruit.
Grower
Beefsteak tomatoes are available in-season during summer.
Beefsteak tomatoes are big, juicy, meaty, and heavy; some weigh as much as four pounds. They have a classic tomato flavor and can range in color from pink to vibrant red to orange, depending on the variety. Most are smooth in shape, but there are some ribbed varieties, like Red Ponderosa and Coustralee. Depending on the variety, Beefsteaks can be a sweet tomato.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and are full of fiber. Field- or vine-ripened summer tomatoes are higher in vitamin C than greenhouse tomatoes grown in fall and winter, and fresh tomatoes have more vitamin C than after they're cooked or canned. Tomatoes are noted for containing the antioxidant compound lycopene, which may help protect against prostate cancer and heart disease.
The size of the Beefsteak tomato makes it ideal for sandwiches and burgers. Try in a stacked salad sliced lengthwise layered with avocado and mozzarella. Dice and cook down with garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs for a quick pasta sauce. Roasting enhances the flavor of the tomato, roast slices of Beefsteak tomato with olive oil, salt and pepper then add to soups and sauces.
In France, around the time that the myth was dispelled that tomatoes were poisonous, people began to believe that the tomato was an aphrodisiac and called it "pomme d'amour" or "love apple." Tomatoes are among the most common plants grown in home gardens.
The tomato originated on South America's western coast. They are native to the Andes region of Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru, but are believed to have been domesticated in Mexico. It was in the early 1500s when tomatoes were introduced to Europe by returning Spanish colonists. In North America though tomatoes were eaten they were also believed by many to be poisonous because they are a member of the deadly Nightshade family. This was disproved publicly in 1820 when Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson ate a tomato on the courthouse steps of Salem, New Jersey. Botanically, the tomato is a fruit; however in 1883, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the tomato was legally a vegetable due to the way it was commonly used.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Beefsteak Tomatoes. One
is easiest, three is harder.
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Seasons/Availability
Beefsteak tomatoes are available in-season during summer.
Description/Taste
Beefsteak tomatoes are big, juicy, meaty, and heavy; some weigh as much as four pounds. They have a classic tomato flavor and can range in color from pink to vibrant red to orange, depending on the variety. Most are smooth in shape, but there are some ribbed varieties, like Red Ponderosa and Coustralee. Depending on the variety, Beefsteaks can be a sweet tomato.
Nutritional Value
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and are full of fiber. Field- or vine-ripened summer tomatoes are higher in vitamin C than greenhouse tomatoes grown in fall and winter, and fresh tomatoes have more vitamin C than after they're cooked or canned. Tomatoes are noted for containing the antioxidant compound lycopene, which may help protect against prostate cancer and heart disease.
Applications
The size of the Beefsteak tomato makes it ideal for sandwiches and burgers. Try in a stacked salad sliced lengthwise layered with avocado and mozzarella. Dice and cook down with garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs for a quick pasta sauce. Roasting enhances the flavor of the tomato, roast slices of Beefsteak tomato with olive oil, salt and pepper then add to soups and sauces.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In France, around the time that the myth was dispelled that tomatoes were poisonous, people began to believe that the tomato was an aphrodisiac and called it "pomme d'amour" or "love apple." Tomatoes are among the most common plants grown in home gardens.
Geography/History
The tomato originated on South America's western coast. They are native to the Andes region of Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru, but are believed to have been domesticated in Mexico. It was in the early 1500s when tomatoes were introduced to Europe by returning Spanish colonists. In North America though tomatoes were eaten they were also believed by many to be poisonous because they are a member of the deadly Nightshade family. This was disproved publicly in 1820 when Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson ate a tomato on the courthouse steps of Salem, New Jersey. Botanically, the tomato is a fruit; however in 1883, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the tomato was legally a vegetable due to the way it was commonly used.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Beefsteak Tomatoes. One
is easiest, three is harder.
