Family Heirlooms

I'm one hot tomato. And, it takes one to know one.

That's why I always look forward to heirloom tomato season at my local farmer's market. Apparently, the same goes for Los Angelenos. In fact, today's Los Angeles Times offers up a "who's who" of heirlooms:

Here are some of the more common varieties:

Black Krim: Sometimes called "Black Crimson" or "Black Crim," this extremely flavorful tomato hails from the Black Sea area once called Krim now referred to as Crimea. A dark red tomato with shoulders so dark green they appear black.

Brandywine: Probably the most popular of the heirlooms. There are several strains of Brandywine, from deep red to yellow. The original is a large, pinkish tomato with an amazingly deep flavor.

Cherokee Purple: Gary Ibsen perfectly describes the color of this tomato as "dusky rose." It is a relatively low-acid tomato with a slightly sweet, meaty flavor.

Costoluto Genovese: Dark crimson, with pronounced lobes and crevices, this is a deeply flavored, tart Italian heirloom treasured for eating and cooking.

Dona: This round, glossy red tomato looks like a generic slicer (it was bred as a commercial tomato in France), but there is no mistaking the nearly perfect sweet-tart flavor balance.

Earl of Edgecomb: A golden orange tomato, the Earl is firm and meaty with a rich flavor.

Green Zebra: This striped variety can be delicious or crunchy and flavorless. Choose ones with a slight give and a dark, creamy green background.

Marvel Striped: Originally from Oaxaca, this is a giant, orange tomato with red stripes and a sweet, fruity flavor.

Yellow Ruffle: Is it a tomato? Is it a bell pepper? It's hard to tell at first glance. The flavor is mild and sweet.

Names-shmames. Slice 'em up, toss a little sea salt on top and you have a meal fit for royalty. Think I'll try to find a couple of these ugly babies this weekend and wear my crown at dinnertime!