Blog: What is an Heirloom Tomato?

Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Marvel Stripe — I am amazed by all of the different varieties of heirloom tomatoes and their great flavor. I asked Matt Landi, produce director of New Leaf Community Markets, to explain what these beauties are all about. Thanks Matt for providing the following information.

The word heirloom can be used to describe virtually any valuable object that has belonged to a family for generations. Since you cannot save a tomato for 50 years as you would a piece of furniture, in the food world we save and pass on our seeds. In order for a fruit such as a tomato to be an heirloom, it has to be open-pollinated. Essentially, this means it will carry the same characteristics of its parents, year after year without human intervention.

Since these varieties are not hybridized or genetically altered by humans, they are on their own when it comes to fighting off various diseases and overcoming climatic challenges. They also traditionally produce a lower volume of fruit than many hybridized varieties.

Over the years, many of these seeds have been selected and saved by various groups of humans with one major focus: flavor! While they are often displayed together in an array of colors, there are countless distinct varieties. Each has a special characteristic and each has a following of its own.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green is one of the largest green Beefsteak-style tomatoes available. It can grow to over one pound and has a neon green flesh with a sweet fruity flavor. There can also be a subtle spiciness to this family heirloom traced back to early 20th century Germany. The tomato’s namesake, Aunt Ruby, was from Tennessee and the seed is said to have come from her grandfather, who emigrated directly from Germany.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green is one of the largest green Beefsteakstyle tomatoes available. It can grow to over one pound and has a neongreen flesh with a sweet fruity flavor. There can also be a subtle spiciness to this family heirloom traced back to early 20th century Germany. The tomato’s namesake, Aunt Ruby, was from Tennessee and the seed is said to have come from her grandfather, who emigrated directly from Germany.

Cherokee Purple is thought to have been originally cultivated by the Cherokee tribe of North America at least 100 years ago. With their unique reddish-purple color, black rose flesh, rich earthy-sweet taste and tart finish, these are another favorite at any tasting. They are also known for being slightly more disease-resistant than other heirloom varieties.

Black Krim has been traced back to the late 19th century on the Crimean Peninsula in the Ukraine, specifically on the Island of Krim in the Black Sea. Its appearance is a deep, dark reddish-brown skin with deep purple flesh. Black Krim is both sweet and acidic and boasts a bold, smoky flavor. Its texture is slightly crisp on the outside with flesh that is juicy and a bit meaty.

Green Zebra is not old enough to technically be an heirloom. It was bred from other heirloom varieties by Tom Wagner in the early 1980s. However, it is still categorized as one because of its unique characteristics and because it is open pollinated. Green and striped in appearance, the green zebra is typically on the small side. They have a distinct mellow tart flavor and are at their best when they have an almost yellow hue just underneath the skin.

Patti Bond of Bond Marketing Communications is a marketing consultant, writer, and publicist. She is a publicity consultant for New Leaf Community Markets.