The Great Jersey Tomato
What’s so good about New Jersey’s tomatoes - or “ba-may-da’s” as we sometimes call them? Well, they have just the right mix of sweetness and acidity. Like you can’t wait to savor your next bite.
They don’t taste like hydroponically grown hothouse tomatoes that look perfect but taste like you’re eating - something - but not sure what! If I have to buy any tomatoes during the winter, when we can’t get Jersey Fresh, I buy grape tomatoes that I think come the closest to our sweetness.
When you bite into a Jersey tomato, they’re juicy. If the juice just happens to run down your arm, that tastes good too! They’re just PERFECT!
A great childhood memory is one of me going out into my father’s garden with my salt shaker and sitting in the middle of the tomato patch, eating those sun-warmed, sweet tomatoes.
Why are they so good?- well they say it’s not the soil - since they grow well in sandy South Jersey soil and clay-y North Jersey soil and they still taste the best. Experts say it’s just the right mixture of sun, moisture and warm temperatures that combine to make the best damn tomato there is.
Now, we aren’t just Jersey proud - we recognize our faults - I love strawberries - but unless they happen to be NJ wild strawberries - small and oh-so-sweet - and I haven’t tasted one of them in a lot of years - then I’ll just pass on the Jersey’s and opt for the California strawberries anytime. First time I saw this big juicy California strawberry on my plate - I kind of sidestepped it because you know how sour ours can be - well, I had one taste of that California baby and I was hooked for life. So, I’m not an NJ snob. I just know good produce when I see it.
Just like the fig is not a fruit, but a flower - the tomato happens to be a fruit, not a vegetable. What do we know? BUT we know what we like and we LOVE Jersey tomatoes.
Here’s an easy quick recipe to make use of all those great tomatoes ripening at the same time:
Tomatoes, a few freshly picked basil leaves, olive oil, sea salt and some freshly ground pepper. Slice the tomatoes, top each with a basil leaf. Add a drizzle of olive oil, top with a dash of sea salt and ground pepper. Serve at room temperature. Bon Appetit!
