On Saturday, I was walking through Washington DC’s famous fresh/farmers market Eastern Market.  I got excited when I noticed that one of the produce stands was setting heirloom tomatoes.

Ever see those multi-color crazy looking tomatoes?  Those are probably heirloom tomatoes.

So what’s an heirloom tomoato?  According to TomatoFest.com, it’s “a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family because of it’s valued characteristics.”

You can find all kinds of heirloom tomatoes.  One of the most common is Brandywine Heirloom tomatoes.  It’s a variety that can be traced back as far as the 1800s. It’s a varietal that’s prized by food gourmets for its great flavor.

So… I came how and diced up a bunch of the different heirloom tomatoes.  I tossed them with some diced pancetta and balsamic vinegar.  It was delicious.

Heirloom tomatoes definitely look different and I could have easily passed by them.  I didn’t and I’m happy.

Have you had an heirloom tomato before?  What do you think?

(Photo by luvjnx)