Chicago Tomato Fest

Winner, Winner, Bacon Dinner!

2011-04-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

As a Rockstar community garden, I find my self showered with affection, praise, and the occasional extra ticket or two to the premier events in Chicagoland. Sadly, like so many community gardens, I am also a plot of land and find it hard to pull myself away from all the important things going on, especially at this time of year as Spring springs.

Congratulations to Tammy Green over at Chicago Bites who sprung into action and donated at least $10 to me via SlowFood Chicago and the preSERVE garden team. She was the winner of my two tickets to the 2011 Baconfest Chicago extravaganza this past Sunday. It sounds like she had a great time, and I came away with money for an apple tree, a berry bush, or maybe a set of tools that volunteers will use to clean me up and get me ready for the season. If you missed out on the tickets, you can still come help the preSERVE team - just follow this link.

Read all about Tammy's experience on her blog: http://www.chicagobites.com/2011/04/baconfest-a-celebration-of-pork.htm.

And kudos to everyone who brought cans of food to Baconfest Chicago to support the Greater Chicago Food Depsitory. It sounds and looks like they took in quite a haul. This was taken only about half way through the event.

I'm giving away two tickets to Baconfest Chicago 2011

2011-04-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

YOU: An heirloom tomato lover desperately seeking tickets to the sold out Baconfest Chicago 2011.

ME: An urban community garden in Chicago desperately seeking fruit trees to attract bees and grow fruit.

YOU: Willing to donate $10 to me for a chance to win two tickets to Baconfest Chicago.

ME: Willing to give away my two tickets to the sold-out BaconFest Chicago happening THIS WEEKEND at UIC to one lucky winner from everyone who donates $10 to me (Slow Food Chicago's preSERVE Community garden) between noon today, April 7 2011 and 10:00 AM tomorrow morning, April 8th.

YOU: Not reading this blog anymore, already googling Slow Food Chicago and preSERVE, and donating $10 again and again for multiple chances to win.

ME: Wondering why you quit reading when the link to our donation page is right here: Slow Food Chicago's preSERVE Community garden

YOU: Donating for a chance to win.

ME: Saying thank you to Slow Food Chicago for all the work they do for me and to all the volunteers who will come and help on my first volunteer day on April 16th. You should come too! Thaks also to Candid Wines, the wine sponsor of Baconfest Chicago and the folks who provided these tickets.

The Fine Print:
The winner will be drawn at random from everyone who donates $10 between 11:45 on April 7 2011 and 10:00 AM on April 8th 2011.
The winner will be notified by email and will then be contacted by the good folks at BaconFest Chicago during the day on Friday.
Each donation of $10 qualifies for one chance to win. Multiple donations can be made.
The winner will be picked at random by members of the board of Slow Food Chicago.
All proceeds go to Slow Food Chicago, a 501c3, and will be used for the preSERVE garden.

It's Opening Day, Plant Swiss Chard!

2011-04-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

From a Slow Food Victory Garden.

It's a big day here in Chicago as the Cubs open up at home in front of thousands of soon to be disillusioned fans and the South-Siders trade their mitts for mittens in snow-laden Cleveland. On this day as the city prepares to argue for the next few months about which team is better, there is one thing everyone can agree on: 2011 is the year Swiss Chard will finally win it all in Chicago!

You don't have a clue what I am talking about, do you? Well that is because you haven't wandered over to
One Seed Chicago to learn about NeighborSpace and it's efforts to unite this city behind one thing we can all agree is important - great food grown locally. We at Chicago TomatoFest are supporting Swiss Chard because Swiss Chard supports Tomatoes! It's true. Companion planting pairs veggies and flowers that are interact with one another in a small garden and Chard and Tomatoes are an easy and useful pair. As the link above describes, Chard is attractive to many "useful" insects and repels some of the bad ones so it's a great part of an organic plan, which we of course is crucial for delicious Tomatoes.

On the plate, Chard could not be much easier to integrate into wonderful, nutritious food pairings as well.
Take a walk with me through this delicious scenario:

1) You volunteer with the team at the preSERVE garden to help prep the garden and plant Sweet Potatoes (next volunteer day is April 16th, 2011 join us!)
2) You come back to help us harvest, just like we did last year.
3) You take a few of the Sweet Potatoes you earned home and make this incredible Sweet Potato / Chard Gratin:

Find the recipe and more great shots at smittenkitchen.com.

If you don't want to wait until Fall to eat your Chard, and you shouldn't, try one of a hundred fast and easy ways to grow your Chard and eat it too. Making quiche? Throw in some Chard. Making Lasagna? Add some Chard. Making scrambled eggs, use Chard instead of Spinach. Eating at The Publican? Order the Smoked Whitefish on Brioche with a poached farm egg and pickled Chard stems! (Editor's Note: Item may not be on the menu anymore, but it's entrenched in my memory). Don't hesitate to use Chard nearly everywhere in your spring and summer cooking, you can cut and cut, but you will almost never be able to stay ahead of your Chard plant.


Swiss Chard and Cremini Mushroom Lasagna

But wait, there's more! Swiss Chard is one of the healthiest, nutritionally dense foods we can grow here in Chicago. In fact, some say that it is one of the top two nutritionally-rich vegetables that can be grown anywhere!

So don't wait. Today is the last day to vote for Swiss Chard as the plant that should be supported, shared and widely distributed in town by the good folks at One Seed Chicago. It's fast and easy to vote - you can do it between innings while you wait on line for the bathroom or another beer...Come on Chicago - VOTE SWISS CHARD!

Damien

PS - Here is one more reason to eat Vote Swiss Chard: Do you really think Eggplant has a thong with it's name on it?

Canned Tomato Quiche

2011-03-31T17:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a great effort with friends and family last fall, we've had a cupboard full of canned tomatoes all winter. Now, on March 31 when Spring is reportedly springing in cities other than Chicago, we are faced with the wonderfully high class problem of eating everything we have left so that we can be ready for ramps and other sources of happiness. This weekend's solution was a tomato quiche inspired by the tartes in Thomas Keller's Bouchon cookbook. We also did two canned corn quiche, one with and one without hotsie totsie.

We used two and a half pint jars of cherry tomatoes, removing the most intact and roasting them for about 30 minutes to dry them slightly. The canning liquid was reduced down to 2 cups, per the recipe and then added to eggs from Temple Farm Organics which are ridiculously fresh each week at the Logan Square Farmer's Market.

If you are thinking "wow, that looks great, but you really should have focused the camera", then you are having the same thought I did. Camera phone quality pic aside, the quiche did look great, but it was a little bit disappointing. The tomato juice with the eggs did not set as well as we wanted and while it was tasty, the texture was not great.

Happily, we also tried some canned corn quiche, using the same ratios and found the texture much better as the starches set with the eggs and was more of a custard-like texture.

On the right is the corn quiche with Hotsie Totsie - canned garden peppers from last year. It was the best as the corn alone was fairly sweet, but all were eaten happily.

Thoughts on canning garden tomatoes

2010-09-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, that does say "Hotsie Totsie"

Canning is process. Enjoy the process and you'll enjoy canning.

As we prefer to focus on what is enjoyable as a general rule, we are going to do just that. Still, there are some critically important details to think about when putting anything into a can today that you hope to eat in good health months from now. For those details, we encourage you to explore the University of Minnesota's detailed page on how to can tomatoes safely. Read it twice.

Let's talk processes.

Each stage of the canning process offers a chance to enjoy the right here and now of life. For some, canning begins with a seed catalogue in February and thoughts of warmer days. In an ideal world, the leisurely perusal of Seed Savers or Heirloom Seeds takes place over a bowl of pasta dressed with last year's harvest. The fact is though that few of us have the space to plant so many tomatoes that we have enough to eat in season and can as well, so let's fast forward to the harvest when growers from across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan are looking forward to greeting you at your local farmers' market.

A week ahead of time:

You'll need quite a few tomatoes, 23 lbs for 7 quarts as you read on the U of M's extension page, so plan ahead for your budget. It is true that farmers' will often offer a discounted deal at the end of a market day, but they will offer you a deal on what they have left, and not necessarily what you want. Better to go to the market a week ahead of your canning day and talk to your farmer about your needs. They are likely to offer suggestions on which varieties are fun, which they prefer, and they may offer a discount due to the volume you are purchasing. With this one small act, you have accomplished many things: You know who is growing your tomatoes, you have committed to a day of canning next week, and you have learned about this season's growing conditions. We told you the process is fun.

Fight the urge to overbuy and plan reasonably. You will not can four bushels of tomatoes on your first attempt, or even on your fortieth, no matter how badly we (we mean you) want to have a cupboard full of summer goodness the day after you've canned.

During the week:

Browse the web for specific instructions on materials needed. Here is a site that does a nice job of presenting the details. During the week ahead of your canning day, double check that you have all the required materials including the canning pot. Make a list, check it twice. Read this forum for a comprehensive overview. Personal experience indicates that running out for additional jars, rings, pots, pans, salt or anything else when you are up to your elbows in prepped tomatoes is a part of the process that is better avoided. Avoid it with a good plan.

Canning Day!

Gather a group of folks who share your enthusiasm. It's possible to can alone, but working with friends is a guarantee that you'll have a group that wants to come together this winter to share in the next part of the process.

Think through the process that you have detailed. Again, once you have jars warm and clean, tomatoes peeled and juiced and herbs prepared, it's a real pain in the arse to have to stop because you are missing something. The French must do a lot of canning because their term "mis en place" is the first term you should learn. Roughly translated, "mis en place" means "everything in its place and a place for everything". The precise translation is "line up your ducks", or maybe that's what Confit de Canard means. Our suggested mis en place includes:

Jars - sterilized and kept warm either in the closed hot dishwasher or in a 200 degree oven. Consider the size of your canner and the amount of jars you'll need. Have enough ready to go before you start.

Canner - whether you will be using a pressure canner or a water canner, have the pot ready to go with as much warm water as needed. Take fifteen minutes before you start to read the instructions carefully.

Lids - have a pot of water on the stove and the lids you'll need submerged and ready.

Clean towels - The rim of each jar needs to be wiped clean to ensure a proper seal. One paper towel will be used quickly. Have a few ready to go.

Jar lifter.

Tools - Oven mits for hot cans. A laddle for the tomatoes you will transfer into the can. A glass of wine paired with the appropriate music. A pitcher or something like a pitcher to pour the tomato juice and or water into the cans. A few essential tools that might not be obvious include a jar lifter which serves to remove the cans from the hot water when cooking is complete and a canning funnel that allows you to pour the tomatoes into the jar cleanly.

Canning Funnel

Flavors -

Flavors so simple a child will love them.

Your mis en place will inlcude whatever you might want to add to the jars, but we advise you to think simple, bright, and clean. Happiness is the smell of summer tomatoes on a cold day in February. We suggest being as pure as possible in your flavors. Garlic, herbs and spices can all be added to the sauce that you will make months from now and a clean jar of tomatoes will allow you to follow whatever mood you are in when the time comes. A jar full of tomatoes flavored with other things might be wonderful, but do you want 8-12 jars of the same? The only times we recommend tomatoes and lots of other flavors is in case of a family recipe that one knows to be delicious and in case of a cupboard already full of simply canned tomatoes. The picture at the top of this post shows "Tomatoes with Hotsie Totsie" that we made last weekend. Note that its a small jar as compared to the others. This was an experiment that we did after canning more than a bushel of tomato and basil. We'll see how it tastes this winter. As the picture at right shows, a bit of basil fresh from the garden is more than acceptable in our book.

Tomatoes -

Last but not least we have to talk about your choice of tomatoes! "Canning tomatoes" likes Amish Paste and Romas have a lot of flesh and not too much liquid. They are not quite as tasty fresh as a Cheorkee Purple or a Paul Robeson, but they will be fantastic in February. Whichever type of large tomato you select, you will want to peel each before canning. We encourage you to can a mixed selection of cherries as well. The colors and flavors are great fun to look at for the next few months and even more fun to eat. Most of these choices should be made during the planning stage, and the always critical "talking to the farmer" stage. Listen to what the folks at the market have to say and you'll be on your way to canned happiness.

Time to eat!

We suspect you won't need much help here, but we do suggest that you see the eating as a critical part of the process and one that should be shared with old and new friends. You might use the opening of a can as an excuse to call some of the people who helped grow and can the fruit. You might also take a can to a group of new friends - nothing says hello like summer in February. Finally, we end with the suggestion that you should also be ready to simply open a can on a Tuesday night with nothing special going on. Even if you pour it over some pasta while reading the newspaper, the fruit of your labors will be a wonderful reminder of the process, the flavors, and the people worth celebrating in your life.

Enjoy,

Damien and Mo

This was written for The Local Beet and appears on that site as well. Thanks for the chance to guest-post, Beets!

Mo Ferris has been canning on her days off from the restaurant she manages in Chicago and is a graduate of Johnson and Wales. Damien Casten is the guy whose inability to stop ordering heirloom seeds led to the birth of Chicago TomatoFest.

Heirloom Tomato Madness at Custom House Tavern

2010-09-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

Owner Sue Kim and new Chef Perry Hendrix have taken Chicago TomatoFest to a whole new level. They are doing so many things to help us complete the garden at Central Park and 12th place, it's hard to know where to begin so allow me to present the meal I had there last week.

To start, take a look at the menu:

That's correct - they have FIVE dishes featuring Heirlooms from which they will donate $0.50 for each dish sold to preSERVES. Well, that is sure generous, and we love the fact that they are sharing the story of TomatoFest with every customer who comes in the door, but how is new Chef Perry Hendrix using these heirlooms. Quite well, actually.

Gazpacho was my first choice. Chef Perry uses a healthy dose of garlic and a touch of heat, both of which were balanced with small cubes of watermelon, and I think a bit of watermelon juice splashed in at the end. The result was a run of flavors that complemented the tomatoes instead diverting from the flavor.

Chef Perry's "Bacon" at Custom House Tavern.

Next up I went for the BLT, of course, and had the good fortune of wandering into the kitchen to see what Chef was up to. The answer was surprising to say the least. Once a week, an entire pig's head from Slagel Farms is delivered to the restaurant. Chef Perry debones it and then wraps the remaining skin, cartilage and muscle into a tight roll. There is enough muscle in the cheek to make for a far less fatty cut that I expected. After it is wrapped, the roll is then preserved for a few days in what tastes like rosemary, rosemary and more rosemary. As a fan of rosemary, I thought the flavor was a great addition. Instead of having a smokey, more traditional bacon flavor, this is herbal and bright. Fascinating.

Next up, thin slices are sauteed before they go into the sandwich which is constructed with a thick piece of brioche, which I would argue is critical to absorbing the mayo and the tomato juices that one hopes will run all over hands while devouring an in season BLT. (Is there any other kind?)

And now we come to a critical juncture. What sort of heirlooms are being used by this talented young Chef who is brand new to the Chicago scene? Turns out he has selected (at least on the day I was there) the Cherokee Purple, one of the most delicious of all heirlooms thanks to its rich, dark sweetness. Well played, Sir!

Put it all together and you have a BLT that makes the trip to Custom House Tavern a must-try destination for lunch in the loop these days.

Go for the BLT and stay for the Heirloom Tomato Infused Vodka drinks. That's right there is more. Pictures and details follow in our next post...

How to seduce a renowned food writer (and why your neighbor might be more important)

2010-08-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

I scream, you scream, we all scream for the attention of a few national figures who drive forward the cause of good food.

Well, screaming might not be what we do, more like try to share the passion we have for our small local projects with people who might in turn promote the efforts of our collaborators and friends. In our case, we hope you might have read our "Open Letter to Ruth Reichl" posted a few days ago. Happily, Ms. Reichl noticed too and in a Twitter exchange commented: @tomatofest Yes, I saw it, and was so sorry not to get there. I will definitely make it on my next trip to Chicago!

How cool is that? I can imagine the garden party now...

Fact is though, as flattering as one person's attention might be, and we are flattered indeed that our project appeals to Ms. Reichl's sensibilities, what is more important is the attention of our friends and neighbors here in Chicago. Our efforts to support a garden are for and about the N. Lawndale community in particular and the health of the city in general. Without the work of our friends and nieghbors, who gathered in April to truck in compost and long before that to draw up the plans, the garden would not be a reality. The preSERVES program is a test run to see if Slow Food Chicago, Neighbor-Space and communities can come together to tackle a garden at a time small pieces of the problems related to food supply, urban blight, and all the nasty issues that are prone to arise in food deserts, or anywhere else with a culture of take-out, convenience-first, nutrition-second eating. The good work being done by these people will draw more and more people into the web of delicious, locally grown food, and that is worth celebrating.

It really is cool that two national figures have embraced what we are doing, but what is spectacular is the effort on the ground.

Want to help? You can, one bite at a time. Join us for our Chicago TomatoFest Potluck on September 9th at The Honey Coop, and "Buy a sandwich, Build a Garden" over the next month at some of Chicago's leading restaurants.

Chicago's Highest Heirlooms

2010-08-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Chef Partick Sheerin and the team at The Signature Room on the 95th have agreed to join Chicago TomatoFest for the second year in a row! Chef Pat signed the pledge and tweeted his asian inspired offering via @chefintheory earlier today:

Hickory smoked Bacon, heirlooms, kimchee aoili, steamed buns &summer veg salad for @tomatofest.

Chef Pat Sheerin being interviewed on Vocalo.org
last year at Kendal College.

Chef Patrick Sheerin is a staple at the Green City Market and is a leader in the sustainable community in the Chicago food world, and of course, he is a phenomenal cook! Take a listen to the interview Chef Pat gave to Vocalo.org last year during Chicago TomatoFest here: http://vocalo.org/explore/content/48449

Stop by The Signature Room on the 95th for the highest Heirlooms in Chicago and a stunning view of the city.

For reservations click here.

An open letter to Ruth Reichl from an Urban Garden in Chicago (cc: Josh Viertel, President of Slow Food USA)

2010-08-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Ms. Reichl,

So glad that the combo of the lake and spicy beef seduced you this morning. As a small garden in "The Second City" I'm flattered that you, a national figure and prominent New Yorker enjoyed your stay enough to tweet your love for my city : "Sparkling Chicago morning. Walking along the lake munching spicy beef bao. Mouth on fire. Love this city. Such swell food - so little time." (@ruthreichl)

Sweet Potatoes and peas at the preSERVES
garden in North Lawndale.

That you sought out something spicy probably means you visited Argyle St. and were walking along the beach near Lawrence, am I right? Good for you for getting out of the loop and using your time to explore a slightly less beaten path. Another national figure and prominent foodie from New York, Josh Viertel, President of Slow Food USA, was in town this week and he too was initially drawn to the Asian flavors our city does so well on the north side too, tweeting "Insane dinner at #bellyshack with my sister in Chicago. She knows where to go! My lord. Look out David Chang..." (@joshviertel)

Slow Food USA President Josh Viertel (left) with
Mr. Gerald Earles, Slum Busting Gardener since 1962.

I hear the food up there is wonderful. Food's wonderful down here, south of 290, in North Lawndale too. Seen from a car window travelling on Roosevelt Road, we look like a blueprint for the type of food desert in Chicago that NPR's Natalie Moore just profiled, but let me tell you, in mid August when my Crowder peas and Sweet Potatoes are so plentiful it takes a team to harvest, there is more hope than sand in my corner of town. Come down next time your in town and meet Mr.and Mrs. Earles who have been busting slums with their gardens in this area since 1962. Come meet Dr. and Mrs. Israel who are the current heads of the North Lawndale Greening Committee and who work with gardens, volunteers and families all around the neighborhood including at the Millennium Garden / Honey Coop space. Come to the Chicago Honey Coop, where some of the city's best honey is produced by folks whose efforts and intentions go so far beyond food production. Come to meet the people featured in this video tour of the area's gardens, which is worth watching more than once, especially if you've never met someone fighting to green a desert, one neighborhood garden at a time.

Just come. There is something special going on here in North Lawndale. The people who have been defending the food traditions in their community for so long deserve a tweet or two themselves. Next time you see Josh in New York, ask him about The Earles and all the other people he met, the stories they told, and the food they shared, then come see for yourself. We'll save some sweet potatoes for you.

Yours,

The preSERVES garden at 12th and Central Park in Chicago

Editor's note:

All proceeds from Chicago TomatoFest 2010 will go towards completing the garden at 12th and Central Park. We aim to provide funds to build a shed and a fence and provide tools needed for upkeep. Food grown in the garden is shared with the community by the North Lawndale Greening Committee with a focus on school lunch programs. preSERVES is a program started by Slow Food Chicago in coordination with Neighbor-Space and the North Lawndale Greening Committee. $0.50 will be donated by participating restaurants from every "Old School BLT" sold between Aug 23 and Sept 19th. "Buy a Sandwich, Build a Garden!" Our annual Heirloom TomatoFest at the Chicago Honey Coop will be held on September 9th.

Homegrown Tomatoes

2010-01-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

On January 14th in Chicago, the lyric "Winter without 'em is a culinary bummer" rings true a little more than I'd like. Good thing it's just about time to find my seed catalogues and start planning Chicago TomatoFest 2010!

Michael Nagrant on Winter Tomatoes

2009-12-09T11:17:00.000-08:00

I was encouraged to see criticism of the use of fresh tomatoes in December by Michael Nagrant over on New City. Just as I feel like we should celebrate those who go out of their way to serve and support local farms in the summer, I am pleased to see that critics are tuned into misplaced tomatoes in the winter. Read his post here. While he is writing about a restaurant that has aspirations of and a pedigree that predicts greatness, his comments ring true at for so many spots that I think they are worth sharing.

You might also look at his post on the Dill Pickle Coop that just opened in Lincoln Square. Congrats to all the Coop members who have made this project happen! http://dillpicklefoodcoop.org/

Bye Bye BLTs!

2009-09-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

As the days get cooler, fall approaches and the end of the first annual BLT Bonanza is upon us! Tomorrow will be your last chance to snag one of these tasty treats from most of the participating restaurants-- that is, except for Uncommon Ground. They will keep serving their awesome BLT as long as their rooftop gardens keep producing heirloom tomatoes.
We'd also like to send out a huge thanks to all those restaurants who decided to put their resources toward an important cause and join the Bonanza! They have helped us start what will hopefully become a tradition, supporting and endorsing healthy, eco-friendly and obviously delicious local produce that's available in Chicago. We could not have done it without them.

Bonanza from the Blogosphere

2009-09-10T19:51:00.001-07:00

With the help of Tastespotting.com, I searched around to see what variations on the BLT have been making their way around the foodie world. Here were some of the most interesting.

Some were semi-traditional sandwiches:

The BLAST (Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Shrimp, Tomato)

The Classic

The Fried Green Option:

Some were veg-friendly:

The TMT (Tempeh, Matche, Tomato):

Some interesting tomato-less (boo!) ones for those who've been victims of blight:

Is That Watermelon?

Plums and Bacon!!

And some did away with the sandwich idea entirely:

Savory BLT Cheddar Pancakes

BLT Salad

Here is the full list of results. Enjoy!

TomatoFest on Vocalo

2009-09-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

This morning, our very own Damien Casten was interviewed at Vocalo.org, WBEZ's sister station! He discusses all things tomato-related, especially the Second Annual TomatoFest Potluck Supper this Thursday afternoon at the Honey Coop! Please click here for details and to buy tickets.

Damien's segment is available online! Give it a listen here.

Back to Basics: The Beginner's Guide to Heirloom Tomatoes

2009-09-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

I distinctly recall the very first time I tasted an heirloom tomato. It happened a couple summers ago on Frog Holler organic farm outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where occasionally volunteering to help snip salad greens and thin carrots sometimes earned me a free meal. One warm July day, lunch featured a reddish gold, pumpkin-fat heirloom behemoth, fresh from the tomato field. I was taken aback by its incredible shape and color. Though I don’t know the variety of heirloom we ate that day, I remember its perfect balance of tart and sweet flavor, rich juiciness and tender flesh. All the other tomatoes I’d eaten in my life suddenly didn’t compare. I was hooked—but I had no idea why these mysterious heirlooms were so good.

The farmer explained that they were open-pollinated, that is, pollinated by natural means (wind, insects, etc.) and allowed to develop without genetic engineering or controlled modifications. As a result, the daughters of an open pollinated plant are always slightly genetically different from the parent and, naturally, promoting biodiversity. Despite genetic evolution, his hefty fruit had more in common with the tomatoes eaten a hundred years ago than the supermarket kind I’d been eating all my life.

However, heirloom tomatoes do have traits that make them challenging to grow, especially for commercial farmers. For instance, they often take longer to ripen, are more susceptible to blight and disease, are difficult to stake and keep organized in the field, and, once ripe, don’t last very long. Nonetheless, maintaining the correct conditions (and growing heirlooms that are suited to the local climate) makes all the difference for these sensitive fruits, which make up for any difficulties in their exceptional quality and contribution to biodiversity.

Genetically modified tomatoes, the ones found in standard produce sections across America, have been bred to avoid these undesirable traits: they are often smaller than the irregular, bulbous heirlooms, and rarely have any of the beautiful heirloom variation in color. The standard coloring and sizing make them easily recognizable for the supermarket shopper, simplifying their sale. Genetically modified tomatoes are also bred for durability, with thicker skin and harder, drier flesh for easy transportation, avoiding crushing or bruising. Convenient though they may be, these tomatoes are nearly unrecognizable shadows of their ancient ancestors when it comes to taste and texture.

There are some heirloom varieties that have been preserved for many years by preventing cross-pollinating with other varieties. These are the tried and true tastiest, ones that people know and love, and continue growing year after year. I decided to give some of these famous varieties a try, and visited the Green City Market last week to stock up on as many as I could. Thanks to Nichols, Kinnikinnick and Green Acres farms, I conducted a taste test, to see if the differences between heirloom varieties were noticeable to an untrained palate. The results were pretty incredible—each fruit definitely had a specific consistency and flavor. Here they are, for your information and complete with gorgeous photographs by Julia V. Hendrickson!

Cherokee Purple: This dark fatty was tender and juicy, with a subtly sweet, earthy flavor. It’s evidently one of the strongest heirlooms as far as susceptibility to blight and disease. The origins of this variety are indicated by its name—it is said to have been grown and preserved by the Cherokee nation hundreds of years ago. The color is an incredible dusky purple and has that classic heirloom shape. 8-9 in. diameter.

Amish Paste: A weirdly named variety, this bright red fruit was curiously elongated. It was not the best one eaten fresh (which was how I sampled it) but a fellow tomato enthusiast at the GCM said they are great for canning and making sauces. I could definitely see that—the consistency was a little harder than some of the other tomatoes we tried, but the flavor was bright and delicious. 5 in. in length, 3 in. wide.

Green Zebra: True to its name, this tomato is bright green with fair yellow stripes when ripe. It is very juicy, though not as tender as the larger heirlooms we tasted. It has a really bright, lemony flavor (one tester compared it to the taste of kiwi). This is the variety currently being used by chef Mark Mendez in his BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato) sandwich at Carnivale! 3 in. diameter.

Brandywine Pink: This was probably the most beautiful of all the tomatoes in the taste test. It was a fair pink with green tinges on the “shoulders.” Unfortunately, this one wasn’t quite ripe, and didn’t have the flavor I’d hoped for. After reading up on it, I learned that the Brandywines in general are some of the most beloved heirlooms, and the pink seems to be especially popular. It’s said to be one of the oldest Brandywine varieties with a complex, rich and sweet flavor. Make sure it’s pretty soft before you taste it, to be sure that it’s ripe! 7-8 in. diameter.

Nyagous: This was another strangely dark tomato, about the same size and spherical shape of the Green Zebra, but similar in color to the Cherokee Purple. It had a similar flavor to the Purple, but a not as sweet and rich. Apparently, this variety was introduced from Russia several decades ago. There were two Nyagous varieties that we sampled here: the Russian Black and a mysterious, unnamed second one with reddish skin and green striations on the sides. They tasted identical. 3 in. diameter.

Black Cherry: These little cherries were unbelievably delicious. They had an earthy, rich flavor that tended to be sour, rather than sweet. About the size of an average cherry tomato, they would be incredibly good in any salad. 1 in. diameter.

Red Pear: These were the most precious tomatoes I’d ever seen. They looked like little gnomes, perfectly pear-shaped and leaning against each other for the pictures we took. They were sweet and juicy and brightly reddish orange. 1 in. length, .5 in width.

Striped German: This tomato was by far my favorite out of the bunch. It was another thick, juicy monster, with tender flesh and beautiful orange to red color. What shocked me about this tomato, grown by Green Acres farms and affectionately referred to by the sales people as “Mr. Stripey,” was its sweetness. At times, this was more like eating a ripe peach than a tomato. I ended up dismissing the salt, pepper and olive oil with which we’d been sampling the others, and eating it plain. It was delicious. 8-9 in. diameter.

If you don’t get the chance to hit up your local farmer’s market to taste test these guys on your own, attend and participate in the Second Annual TomatoFest Potluck Supper on September 10^th at the Honey Coop! Click here for details on this lovely, family-friendly event!

The Amish Paste

Cherokee Purple

The Brandywine Pink

The Green Zebra and Black Cherries

Red Pears

Striped German

The Nyagous variety, with some light mozzarella and homegrown basil.

A beautiful assortment (clockwise from bottom left): Brandywine Pink, Cherokee Purple, Striped German, Black Cherries, Big Beef, Green Zebra, Nyagous, and the little Red Pears!

Uncommonly delicious

2009-08-24T21:17:00.000-07:00

I went over to Uncommon Ground tonight to sample their tasty Uncommon BLT appetizer!

Here it is, two perfectly toasted pieces of bread with homemade herb aioli, crispy organic pork belly, two thick slabs of heirloom tomato and a little heap of unbelievably fresh herbs (basil, parsley and chives, I think) on top. The flavors complemented each other so perfectly-- the richness of the pork belly and the aioli was well balanced with the bright, fresh tomatoes and herbs. It was exactly what I was hoping for on a nice summer night!

My first bite.. carefully including every ingredient! (Those are their sweet potato fries in the background, served with goat cheese fondue-- also worth a taste.)

I'm a proud member of the BLT clean plate club.

This BLT app. is available for $10 on the dinner menu at Uncommon Ground. It is very good-- especially when paired with one of their unique cocktails, like the zippy Palmer on the Porch (Ginger-infused vodka, flowering fruit iced tea and lemonade). Check it out!

Second Annual TomatoFest Potluck Supper!

2009-08-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with the HoneyCoop, Slow Food Chicago and Candid Wines, TomatoFest is pleased to announce the speedily approaching second annual Potluck Supper! This event will celebrate the end of tomato season, and help you use up all the tomatoes from the seedling heirlooms you bought from Candid Wines and Uncommon Ground earlier this year. We invite everyone and anyone to come and bring their favorite dish (tomato-centric or not). There will be organic wine from Candid Wines, Goose Island craft beer, fun events, nice people and lots of delicious, home-cooked food!

Where: Chicago HoneyCoop, 3740 W. Fillmore
When: September 10th
Tickets: $10 for HoneyCoop or Slow Food Chicago members, $15 for non-members. They can be purchased here. (All proceeds will benefit Slow Food Chicago.) Children under 10 get in free!

Tomato-Fennel Sauce for February

2009-08-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

I met Jenny Borchardt at a New Year's Day party this year. We connected over a bit of aged Foie Gras, and I have to admit that I paid far too little attention to the fact that she and her husband are organic farmers up in Wisconsin. Happily, we reconnected recently at the Uncommon Ground Farmer's Market where she had all of her wares on display. Holy cow, Harvest Moon, in just its second full year, is a serious farm. Their produce is stunning in appearance and flavor and I can not recommend a share in their CSA highly enough.

Imagine my delight when at the end of Friday's market Jenny asked what I'd like to take home for myself, and then proceeded to fill a massive box with onions, fennel, peppers, a melon, leeks and some of her Amish neighbor's pickles. In the few moments that Jenny's generous hands needed to fill the box, my Saturday plans crystallized in my mind. It's time to make a Tomato Sauce to freeze for the coming winter.

Tomato - Fennel Sauce,
featuring organic onion and fennel from Harvest Moon and tomatoes from my garden.

I used smaller tomatoes that I have in abundance right now. Principe de Borghese, Thai Pink Egg, and Pearly Pink are featured.

The juice and seeds are seperated to control the level of liquid in the sauce.

Onions from Harvest Moon. 1.5 lbs each!

Fennel seed, fresh from a plant outside. At this stage, they are full of bright flavor and will add some nice oils to the base of the sauce.

We roasted the flesh of the tomatoes on a bed of fennel fronds. I am not convinced that this adds lots of flavor, but it keeps the fruit off the hot pan, making for easier extraction. Plus, it's beautiful and it smells good.

Did I mention that it smells good?

The juice from the tomatoes is strained and poured into the caramelized onions.

The blended onions, tomato juice, and fennel seeds meet the roasted tomatoes.

A quick saute of rough chopped fennel and some more tomatoes.

I intentionally kept the pieces large. I want big bites of bright summer flavors when I eat this over the winter, and rustic style seemed appropriate. I am thinking this might go over some roasted chicken. Perhaps Jenny's neighbor, who also does eggs, will have some for me at that point.

Socca's B.L.H.T is here!

2009-08-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

Socca launches the Bacon, Lettuce, and Heirloom Tomato Pizza! Nice work, Roger!

Socca has a thriving fan community on Facebook. Find them here.

Pizzeria Via Stato BLT Sales increase 830%

2009-08-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of locally grown heirloom tomatoes and their delicious use of Slagel Farms bacon, Pizzeria Via Stato has seen sales of their BLT lunch special increase by 830% since the Old School BLT Bonanza began as compared to average sales of their BLT in July.

Carnivale's BLAT in pictures

2009-08-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Becker lane organic pork belly, Spring Valley Green Zebra Tomatoes, Kinnikinnick Farms oragnic Arugula, and avocado all for $10? I think I have a man crush of Chef Mark Mendez of Carnivale...

Up close:

A tour of the kitchen revealed 200 lbs of local tomatoes:

Including these beauties:

The menu:

As I left, Chef Mendez said he was psyched to be part of the event because "I am a freak about tomatoes". Holding a box of Klug Farm blackberries, which he identified as being "ridunkulous" he added "Well, I am a freak about a lot of things". Indeed. Thanks for a great addition to the lunch time offerings of our Old School Blt Bonanza.

Spotlight on Uncommon Ground

2009-08-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

Chef Brian Millman over at Uncommon Ground has taken it upon himself to create two BLT variations for the Bonanza-- both featuring crispy braised pork belly from Slagel Family Farm! The $13 Uncommon BLT is a delicious sounding sandwich available for lunch, using heirloom tomatoes from their very own rooftop gardens or Harvest Moon Organics, and put together with Green Acres arugula, herb aioli and sourdough bread! For dinner, a tasty $10 BLT appetizer is available, made with that crispy pork belly, heirloom tomatoes, herb salad, crostini and e.v. olive oil. Delicious and accessible. Sounds phenomenal to me.

Plan Your Meals Accordingly

2009-08-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

A huge shout out to Heather Sperling, over at The Tasting Table Chicago, who put together a fabulous BLT Bonanza Map with her great article on the event! Check it out!

Spotlight on Cafe Spiaggia: Double the BLT Deliciousness

2009-08-18T16:58:00.001-07:00

Chef Sarah Grueneberg has truly risen to the TomatoFest challenge, serving two wonderful variations on the BLT at Café Spiaggia. The first is a lunchtime BLT pizza-- or rather, a PLT, with the P standing for house-made pancetta. The pork is tastily organic, hailing from Becker Lane Organic Farm in Iowa. Those irresistible heirlooms (cherokee purples, sungold cherries, orange blossoms and black princes) come from Nichols Farm. For dinner, Grueneberg will bust out the PLT crostini, featuring Capriole goat cheese and arugula.
I, for one, cannot wait to try these treats out. Congratulations to Chef Grueneberg: creator of the BLT Bonanza double feature!

And our poster contest winner is...

2009-08-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

"The Plant" Congratulations to Emily and Paul, over at PoppySeed Heroes. If you are looking for young artistic talent to design a logo, a tshirt, or perhaps paint a potrait of you for your mantle piece, we bet they can do something clever. Come to think of it, if you are interested in a portrait for your own mantle piece, you might want to head somewhere else. These folks are far too down to earth for you, but I digress.

Thanks to everyone who submitted posters!

Look for "The Plant" at restaurants participating in our Old School BLT Bonanza!

Eat Old School BLT's & Win Free Wine!

2009-08-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, start your stomachs and bring your camera phones...

Beginning today and going until September 20th, some of the best area restaurants are featuring Old School BLT's. Snap a picture of your favorite and you might win a free bottle of wine from Candid Wines and The Green Grocer Chicago! We are giving away 1 bottle to the first person who tweets a picture of an Old School BLT, and another chosen at random at the end of the week. Get moving!

Need a high class, but affordable business lunch? Head over to Blackbird for a sandwich at the bar from Executive Chef Mike Sheerin. It will be cheaper than you think, but just as good as you hope. Want to enjoy great views of the city? Take the elevator up to Sixteen in the Trump Tower for Chef Frank Brunacci's sandwich, or go all the way up to The Signature Room at the 95th in the Hancock Tower for Chef Patrick Sheerin's take. (Chef Pat and Chef Mike are brothers, our only fraternal pairing). Need a few sandwiches for an office party? Green Grocer Chicago is offering City Provisions' Old School BLT's to go, and the list goes on, including Cafe Spiaggia, Carnivale, Webster's Wine Bar, Osteria Via Stato, The Gage, Publican, Avec, Socca, Lockwood, and more coming soon.

We want to know what you are eating and where, and we'll give one luck winner a bottle of wine. Simply photograph your Old School BLT at one of the participating restaurants and Tweet, mentioning the farm that grew the tomatoes, the restaurant, and @tomatofest. One winner will be chosen at random on Friday afternoon, and you can select any bottle of Candid Wines currently in stock at the Green Grocer Chicago!

BLT TwitPic Contest!

2009-08-16T12:41:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day-- the very first in a month of Old School BLTs!

To celebrate, Damien has cleverly offered a bottle of some excellent wine from Candid Wines to one lucky winner of the BLT TwitPic contest. Simply visit one of the participating restaurants, order that BLT, snap a photo of it from your trusty camera phone and tweet it with "@tomatofest" in your text. The winner will be chosen at random.

Looking forward to seeing you all enjoying those tasty sandwiches!

Old School BLT Poster Contest Finalists

2009-08-14T16:20:00.001-07:00

Help us select the winner of our poster contest. Some creative and cool entries came into Chicago TomatoFest headquarters from art students around the city, and we have selected two finalists. Both posters might be tweaked, but we want your opinion as to which artist should be the winner of the First Annual Chicago TomatoFest Poster Contest Winner! Please leave comments below to help us decide.

Our first finalist is a collaboration between Chicago based artists Emily Szopa and Paul Slayton. There is something about the bright colors and folksy feel they have evoked that seems to scream "grow something!"

Finalist # 1 : The Plant

Our second finalist is from freelance artist Debi Nafis (http://www.debinafis.com/). Look carefully at this one. We found it creative and rich in texture, and we loved the subtle inclusion of the Chicago skyline. Well played!

Finalist # 2 : The Sandwich

So what do you think? Please tell us quickly as we are deciding by Sunday, August 14th at noon.

Sixteen's Frank Brunacci joins bonanza fun!

2009-08-13T00:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, it looks like Chef Frank Brunacci of Sixteen is also a BLT fan and has signed up to participate in the Bonanza! In this interview, Australian-born Brunacci says, "Chicago, to put it bluntly, is definitely in the top three in the country for dining. Chicago has got the cosmopolitan aura of San Francisco but the sophistication and city life of New York, with a Midwest mentality... I’ve been in the United States for 10 years, and this is my seventh state, and it is the first time I’ve felt at home since I’ve been here." A great observation-- I agree that the grounded, Midwestern attitude is wonderful to encounter in an urban space (especially when you're a Chicago newbie, like I am!). And what better way to repay the city's kindness than to help promote local agriculture?
Welcome aboard Chicago TomatoFest, Chef!

BLT Bonanza Poster Contest

2009-08-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Calling all burgeoning artists: Chicago TomatoFest needs your help!

We invite you, local design student/art enthusiast/amateur photoshop whiz, to create our official Old School BLT Bonanza poster. The winning poster will be put up in some of the finest restaurants around the city to indicate their participation in this event. The winning designer will have their name on the press release and opportunities for future freelance jobs, too.
It is important to the participating restaurants that the poster looks clean and sophisticated. Chicago TomatoFest would like it to evoke fresh food, health, sun, summertime, sustainable/local agriculture and the space of Chicago. Please read our mission statement for a better idea of our perspective!
The logos of our partners, Slow Food Chicago and WBEZ's sister station Vocalo should also be incorporated into the design as well. Vocalo is more liberal with the use of their logo, so it can be adapted for the poster, but Slow Food has asked us not to change theirs at all. The logos are:

The Vocalo representation can just be the :V part of the logo.

Posters must be submitted in PDF format and emailed to alana@chicagotomatofest.com by Friday August 14!

Text that must be included:

Chicago TomatoFest’s Old School BLT Bonanza

This restaurant is a proud participant in Chicago Tomatofest’s Old School BLT Bonanza, Slow Food Chicago’s celebration of heirloom tomatoes and the people who grow, cook and eat them. Check the menu for a unique variation on the classic American BLT, featuring produce from farms near you.

August 17th-September 20th

For more information, including a list of other fine restaurants participating, please visit:
www.chicagotomatofest.com
@tomatofest

The Gage and Carnivale sign up for the BLT Bonanza!

2009-08-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

It's our pleasure to announce that Mark Mendez of Carnivale and Dirk Flanigan of The Gage have agreed to participate in the Old School BLT Bonanza as well! They are also on the 312 Dining Diva's list of favorite local restaurants. We welcome them to our quickly growing list of BLTers and can't wait to taste their dishes.

Phillip Foss & Lockwood join the BLT Bonanza

2009-08-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

We asked the 312 Dining Diva to name a dozen chefs that had to be part of anything as fun as our BLT Bonanza and she gave us some of the best in town. The first results are in and we are thrilled to announce that Phillip Foss of Lockwood is joining forces with Chicago TomatoFest.

We can't wait to see which farms he'll use, which varieites of heirlooms he favors, and of course, what he'll create as a BLT.

Chef Foss has a wonderful blog over at : http://thepickledtongue.com/ Check him out! The restaurant is here: http://www.lockwoodrestaurant.com/chefs_ourchef.aspx

Harvest Time! (For Chefs' Pledges)

2009-08-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

The tomatoes are coming! Chefs who are considering signing our pledge should do so asap to ensure a spot in our outreach, including email blasts to 3500 + Chicago foodies next week. Join Roger Herring of Socca, Pat Sheerin of the Signature Room on the 95, Chef David DiGregorio at Osteria Via Stato, and Paul Kahan, among others for the Old School BLT Bonanza. Here's the pledge chefs have to sign:

Chicago TomatoFest 2009

presents:

The Old School BLT Bonanza

August 17th to September 20th 2009

In conjunction with the Chicago TomatoFest, we are seeking Chicagoland restaurateurs who will present their own unique take on the classic BLT sandwich, featuring Heirloom and Ark Varieties of tomatoes and pigs, if the chef chooses to use Bacon. Our restaurant partners will agree to promote the local farmers and the varieties they grow in an effort to increase the general public’s awareness of the local bounty we enjoy here in Illinois. To participate, sign this pledge:

The Chef’s Pledge:

From August 17th to September 20th, the height of the 2009 local tomato season, my restaurant will serve our take on the BLT Sandwich as part of Chicago TomatoFest's BLT Bonanza. I agree to the following:

1) I will feature locally grown heirloom tomatoes in my BLT. My staff and I will communicate to our customers the names of the varieties we have selected and the farmer or farmers who grow them. If I do not have enough local heirlooms, I will not offer the special.

2) If I decide to use bacon in my BLT, I will use locally grown pork, ideally from a heritage and / or Slow Food Ark of Taste breed. My staff and I will communicate to our customers the variety we have selected and the farmer or farmers who grew the pork we will serve.

3) If and when I am contacted by local media, I will do my best to explain the meaning of heirlooms and to promote the local farmers from whom I am buying the ingredients for my BLT.

Chef’s Name: _________________ Restaurant (s) Name (s): __________________________________

In recognition of restaurants’ efforts, Chicago TomatoFest’s Sponsors, Slow Food Chicago, Candid Wines, and The Chicago Honey Coop, agree in turn to promote the event and the participating restaurants through all relevant media channels, increasing exposure and supporting Chicago area chefs who agree to “The Chef’s Pledge”.

You can download a copy here. For more info, please contact Alana Cuellar at alana@chicagotomatofest.com

Osteria Via Stato Summer's Eve Dinner!

2009-08-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

The BLT Bonanza will begin with a bang at Chicago's own Osteria Via Stato, on Sunday, August 23rd. Executive Chef David DiGregorio has put together an incredible menu of tomatoey/baconey delights, including mini-BLTs with applewood smoked bacon, caprese salad with hand-pulled mozzarella, house made tomato focaccia, and baconcello (bacon infused vodka!). Candid Wines will be providing excellent wine, and special guest David Cleverdon of Kinnikinnick Farm will give an informal chat on the midwest tomato season.
Tickets are only $35, and part of the proceeds will benefit Slow Food Chicago! This will be a great evening with wonderful food and interesting discussion, so contact Osteria Via Stato's Events Manager Allison Galese at 312-642-8450 for reservations, or go here for more information.

UPDATE:

This event sold out in 48 hours! Stop by Osteria Via Stato for a taste of their Old School BLT's. From the OSV website:

Pizzeria Via Stato is a proud participant of the 1st Annual Slow Food Chicago Tomato Fest and Candid Wines Old School BLT Bonanza.

Here's Executive Chef David DiGregorio's version of the classic
BLT: SLAGEL FARM HICKORY SMOKED BACON, FRESH ARUGULA & SPRING VALLEY HEIRLOOM TOMATOES with HOUSEMADE PESTO MAYO $8.95

Chef David also suggest a glass of Seedling Farm Hard Cider ($7.00) as a perfect pairing.

(BLT Bonanza is for lunch only & only available while locally grown heirlooms are ripe!)

Chicago TomatoFest Closing Ceremonies at Socca!

2009-08-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

The closing night of the BLT Bonanza promises to be beautiful and elegant at Socca, the "sleek but homey" bistro on 3301 N Clark. Chef Roger Herring and Chicago TomatoFest have invited some favorite BLT chefs (who will be serving their delicious inventions) and farmers. This September 20th event will benefit Slow Food Chicago, and will be a wonderful opportunity for farmers, chefs and food lovers to kick back and enjoy the last tomatoes of the summer!
More details on purchasing tickets to follow shortly.

Some famous tomato fans!

2009-07-31T19:57:00.000-07:00

During an exciting meeting with the folks over at Vocalo (more details on our partnership to follow soon!), we bumped into some celebrity heirloom enthusiasts... can you name them?

That's right, it's Melba Lara of WBEZ and Peter Sagal, the host of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me! We hope to see them both at the TomatoFest Potluck at the Honey Coop on September 10th.

Statement of Purpose: TomatoFest 2009

2009-07-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Chicago TomatoFest is Slow Food Chicago’s celebration of local heirloom tomatoes, promoting the people who grow, cook, and eat them.

Chicago TomatoFest celebrates the arrival of locally grown heirloom tomatoes with an annual potluck and, for the first time in 2009, The Old School BLT Bonanza. The city’s best chefs will promote local farmers by reinterpreting this American classic and making these summery creations available on their respective menus from August 17th to September 20th.

Restaurants participating in The Old School BLT Bonanza will sign a two-part pledge, promising to: a) use local heirlooms and (should they choose to use bacon) locally and sustainably raised pork, and b) publicly promote the farmers from whom they sourced these ingredients.

Chicago TomatoFest believes that a rising tide lifts all ships, especially when it comes to preserving our local food supply. We aim to:

1) Encourage individuals to plant their own food through our heirloom plant sale.
2) Create an annual event that will provide a sustainable market for heirloom varieties, encouraging more local farmers to plant them.
3) Facilitate relationships between farmers and restaurants to improve the accessibility of local products.
4) Promote biodiversity.
5) Generate media/public interest in heirlooms and other endangered tomato varieties on the Slow Food Ark of Taste by exposing Chicagoans to their unbeatable quality.
6) Promote Chicagoland restaurants that commit to our BLT pledge by buying from and endorsing local farms.

New Kid in Town

2009-07-29T09:43:00.001-07:00

Hello, TomatoFest followers! My name is Alana and I was recently taken on by Slow Food Chicago as the official TomatoFest Coordinator. I will be posting articles featuring TomatoFest participants, ways for you to get involved and updates on the Old School BLT Bonanza (Damien Casten's tasty plan for exposing Chicagoans to the delights of the heirloom tomato-- more details to follow). You might see me taking pictures and chatting with people at farmer's markets or happily sampling some of the wonderful food this city has to offer (I have yet to try this deep dish, Chicago-style pizza everyone keeps raving about!). Needless to say, I'm very excited to be here, working for such an important and delicious cause.

Determinate vs. Inderterminate: Guest post on Chicago Now

2009-07-03T07:28:00.000-07:00

Local garden blogger, photographer, and connector of people, Mr. BrownThumb asked me to do a guest post on his Chicago Now Blog describing determinate vs indeterminate tomato plants. My post is here.

Take a look around Mr. BrownThumb's site. He has unearthed some of the more interesting gardeners in Chicagoland and is a great source for information. For example, he followed my post with great info of staking tomato plants. He also has a flickr pool set up for Chicago Garden pics.

Skinny Beaks for a Skinny Garden

2009-06-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

This short post is in response to Gina over at My Skinny Garden, and her query about birds' nests.

Though it confuses me, I do admire her honesty as a gardener when she says:

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know crap about birds. And when it comes right down to it, I don't really care for them.

What?

Gina, you seem to have unbridled enthusiasm and ambition in the garden, you find all sorts of creative ways to grow things, and for goodness sakes, you have a "kitchen garden" complete with six raised beds! How can you be so flip when it comes to birds? You're nuts! Who else is going to eat the little bugs that seem to be living in your compost rich soil? Which other creature is going to gently till the soil as they pull up worms? Color me confused.

I am an unabashed supporter of all the birds that settle into the nooks and crannies of my family's garden each year. In fact, your post inspired me to photograph a few of them as they emerge from their nests, ready to eat all the things we don't want in the garden. At the entrance to the veggie garden, we have a structure that attracts nests under the eaves. At the moment it is home to two nests; one robin and one wren.

These are for you, Gina. You may have to look close to see the detail, but there are three little bug eating, soil tilling, seed distributing, poop leaving birds in this picture.

In the wine world, I often use a bird's sense of taste as an indication of balance in wine. There is a moment when the acid and fruit is perfectly balanced in a grape, making it delicious to eat. This of course in quite intentionally arranged by evolution. The acid and the fruit are balanced when the seed is ripe.

I talk to a lot of winemakers and ask them questions about wine and grape growing. Below is a video with Fred Scherrer talking about the life of a berry and what happens as it ripens through a growing season. I post it here because I think it's relevant to understanding a bird's view of ripening fruit, and becuase Fred's use of the word "vector" for an animal that will eat and then poop out a seed always makes me chuckle in its geekiness.

The Rain Will Not Deter Honey Coop's Solstice Fete (nor backyard tomato growing)

2009-06-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Slow Food and the Chicago Honey Coop are pressing on with the Summer Solstice Party tonight! Be there, be wet, and embrace summer in the City. http://chicagohoneycoop.blogspot.com/

Need more encouragement to get over to the party? Word is chocolatier Katherine-Ann is going to be there with a homeade strawberry-rhubarb pie for the potluck. Maybe if you send her a nice note, she'll bring a few extra truffles as well...she can be reached on her website http://katherine-anne.com/, or via twitter @kachocolatier.

The rain has certainly taken it's toll on local farmers and now more than ever we hear at TomatoFest Chicago encourage you to "Get thee to a Farmer's Market!" I heard from Peter Klein at Seedling Fruit Farm that the storm knocked down some older apple trees at his Michigan orchard yesterday, and I know lots of folks have had a hard time getting out to plant.

On a smaller scale, I just received an udpate via Twitter that @baconfestchi (aka Seth Zurer) followed my advice and topped up the soil in his Black Cherry pot and gave his heirloom a few companions. Looking good Seth, now all you need is a compost tea watering before your fruit sets and you should be in great shape. May they go forth, prosper, and one day end up on a delicious homemade BLT.

Our first report from the fields of Chicago

2009-06-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

This Black Cherry Tomato is growing in Seth Zurer's backyard garden in Albany Park. Seth is a co-founder of BaconFest Chicago and will be a key partner in our BLT Fest later this summer. He bought the plant at the Uncommon Ground Plant Sale.

My suggestion to Seth is that he bring the level of the soil up to the top of the pot. The small leaves at the base can be stripped, and the small "hairs" at the base of the plant will grow into roots over the summer. I would look for a mix of potting soil and organic compost to give the plant a good slow feed.

I also encouraged Seth to consider planting either some herbs - basil, oregano or thyme - as companions, or perhaps a few carrots. It seems odd to grow carrots in a pot, but they really seem to love Tomatoes. (A fact I learned from a book on companion planting entitles "Carrots Love Tomatoes"). We tried it last year and had hands down the best carrot crop we ever have grown.

Whist I am doing some encouraging, I encourage you to go check out http://www.baconfestchicago.com/ and to follow Seth on Twitter: @baconfestchi
Earlier today, Seth and I had a very productive lunch meeting at Hot Doug's, and I don't say that only because we both enjoyed a Foie Gras and Sauternes dog. The Chicago BaconFest team is going to be a huge ally in the spreading of love for heirloom tomatoes and heritage breed pigs come the fall.

R to L - Seth Zurer, Hot Doug himself, Damien Casten

Honey Coop's Sweet Summer Solstice Party

2009-06-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

Chicago TomatoFest's host, partner, and supplier of delicious local honey The Chicago Honey Coop is throwing a Sweet Summer Solstice party this Friday night, June 19th. Few organizations in Chicago have done as much with so little to promote urban agriculture, good food, and a vibrant local community than the Honey Coop. The Solstice Party, being thrown in conjunction with Slow Food Chicago, has as a goal to raise $10,000 that they will use to begin raising their very own honey bee queens, which will in turn make the coop a more sustainable local venture. At present, the Coop buys queens from folks in the southwest where the climate is warmer and the bees winter over without dying in the Chicago cold. This money will go towards keeping the colony alive and healthy here in Chicago, avoiding the annual costs of transport and repurchase of the queens.

From the Coop's blog: Only $15 per person ($10 for Co-op and Slow Food members). Bring a dish to share and a chair to sit on. We'll also be holding a raffle with great prizes including a private tour of the City Hall rooftop garden and beehives, a dinner for 2 at Brasserie Jo, a Joe Breezer Itzy folding bicycle, organic/biodynamic wine from Candid Wines and more. Reservations are required. Find out more here - Slow Food Chicago

Sadly, it does not look like anyone from Candid Wines can be at the event as Friday night is the same night as our fundraiser with Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions team and Clandestino. We'll be having a great time pairing wine and food with five decades of Chicago music. If you are interested in that event, details on the menu are here. To buy a ticket, visit the Sound Opinions page.

How we stake tomatoes

2009-06-15T16:23:00.001-07:00

A visit to the Scherrer Vineyard in the California's Alexander Valley a few year's back provided the inspiration for my current trellising system. Pictured at right is octogenarian grape grower Ed Scherrer's trellising system. Ed treats tomatoes like vines, saying "they want to grow up, so let them".

His trellis is a fairly simply tacked together wood and metal fence of sorts. There are a few keys to its success:

1) Each stake is firmly anchored into the ground (buried roughly 8-12 inches). As the vines become heavy with fruit and thick with leaves, they risk toppling the 'fence' under their weight, and can act as sails, catching lots of wind. Deeply planted stakes help to solve this problem.

2) The cross bars are firmly attached, but the work they do in supporting the plants is minimal. The plant is directed back in towards the fence with a long string tied to one end and woven through the fence as the plants grow. Having multiple levels of garden string that begin near the base is key. Waiting to tie the plants to the fence once they are too big creates pressure that can cut the stem. As they grow, this means a new string once every ten days to 2 weeks.

3) The fact that the plants grow up means that the fruit is exposed to wind, which helps prevent rot after a rain, and of course avoids contact with the soil.

Here are the fences we have built and used for the past three years. Next year, they will need to be replaced.

We move them into a new bed each year in the interest of crop rotation, and because it allows us to scope out the ideal spot. We are fortunate to have good room in our raised beds and we can experiment with a north / south vs. east / west alingment. This picture is north / south, and it appears to be doing quite well.

One other development this year is the addition of metal labels for each plant. We have a habit of either losing tags or having the marker wear off over time. Using a home labeler, my folks made metal labels this year that are attached to the wood in the fence above each plant.

This might be the best new addtion to the garden this year.

Whapsipi what?

2009-06-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Wapsipinicon: Tomato, River, and History lesson.

When there was still snow on the ground and TomatoFest seemed as far off as outdoor bike rides, I selected the Wapsipinicon Peach from the Baker Creek Seed catalogue as one of the few experimental tomatoes to grow this year. Selecting a reasonable amount of new breeds to try is one of the greatest challenges I face during the seed buying process. Each new plant might be the best I have ever grown, or maybe, even though someone else had great success, it might be a bust in our climate. In order to find out, I have to cede the garden space of at least one tried and true variety, which must be akin to the feeling a gambler has when doubling down at the Black Jack table. No one ever seems to understand the anguish this causes me.

The Wapsipinicon Peach made the cut for a number of reasons. First, it is a "peach" tomato, which means it looks and feels a bit like a peach; fuzzy and light orange, yellow. Diversity of flavor, texture and color is important to me. Second, it looked like many people have had great success with the variety, calling it a "favorite peach" and "great addition" to their collection. Reading with my blinders on, I completely ignored the references to where the tomato is from and focused only on flavor and color.

With this backgroung in mind, I almost fell off my bike this weekend at the Tour of the Mississippi River Valley (Tomrv) when I crossed the Wapsipinicon River, a tributary of the Mississippi. In less than two pedal strokes, I went from thoughts of cadence, mph, my right knee, and nutrition, to thoughts of peach tomatoes, and the hopes that I have that this variety will prove to be an annual member of the garden.

Alongthewapsie.com offers this brief description of the "Wapsie" as well as an interesting collection of old photos.

The Wapsipinicon River (locally known as the Wapsie) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 225 miles long, in northeastern Iowa in the United States. It drains a rural farming region of rolling hills and bluffs north of Waterloo and Cedar Rapids.

It rises in northern Mitchell County near the Minnesota border. It flows generally southeast across rural Chickasaw, Bremer, Fayette, and Buchanan counties, past Independence and Anamosa. Along its lower 25 miles it turns east, forming the boundary between Clinton and Scott counties. It joins the Mississippi from the west approximately 10 miles southwest of Clinton.

The name of the river in the Ojibwe language is Waabizipinikaan-ziibi (river abundant in swan-potatoes), on account of the large quantity of arrowheads or wild artichokes, known as "swan-potatoes", once found near its banks. Severe flooding on the river in 1993, as part of the larger floods in region, caused widespread damage to the surrounding cropland.

So I unintentionally purchased, planted and then sold all sorts of plants named after a river that is in turn named after a wild artichoke. Too cool. I'll be playing with recipe ideas for artichokes and Wapsipincon Peach Tomatoes and would love to hear from those of you who purhased a plant. I am thinking of grilling the artichokes to match the sweetness of the tomato. Perhaps some sort of BLA sandwich? (Bacon, Wapsie Peach, and Artichoke). Sounds like it would need a really good foccacia, maybe with some black olives. Or perhaps a quick fresh pasta with Artichokes, olives and Wapsies? How about artichokes with a roasted Waspie mayonaise for dipping? The possibilities seem endless. Let me know what you come up with...

An update from the Barras

2009-06-15T11:55:00.001-07:00

Following a terrific visit from Martha and Charlie Barra during which they were more than happy to support my non-traditional schemes (not many winery owners come to Chicago in order to sell tomatoes), I just recieved this update from Martha in Mendocino:

Here's a funny one for you. After seeing Damien's brother's (and parents') gardens, Charlie came home really jazzed. So, Saturday we had three employees here working in the yard. He planted four more really huge tomato plants, beet seeds, squash, etc., all just in case someone from Chicago came to visit!

I am not sure Charlie needs much inspiration to grow anything, but we sure appreciated his help last weekend chipping branches and mulching out in the Western Suburbs. Martha and Charlie will keep us posted with pictures of their garden and tomatoes as the plants grow. With luck, I, or someone from Candid, will make it out to Mendocino this summer for a closer look as well. Amazing, the power of TomatoFest, no?

Uncommon Tomato Sale

2009-06-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

(L to R) Greg Powell, Candid Wines, Martha and Charlie Barra, Barra of Mendocino

Close to 150 more heirloom tomato plants found their ways into the hands of Chicago area gardeners, chefs, and community garden organizers at our Uncommon Plant sale on Friday, June 5th. Special guest Farmers Charlie and Martha Barra joined us to offer insights and experience, and $400 was raised for Slow Food.

We had a few plants that remained unsold at the end of the night, and they were donated to a community garden group on the North side, to the gardeners at Uncommon Ground's rooftop garden on Devon, and finally to a few local friends who were willing to trade smoked brisket and good wine for a plant or two.

Now that the plants are sold, the real work begins. As your tomatoes grow, please send questions, comments and pics. We'd love to share the experience of growing tomatoes across Chicagoland, and we look forward to tasting the fruit of your labor at TomatoFest at The Honey Coop in September.

All of the pictures in this post come from Mr BrownThumb. Before our first sale this year, I had never met Mr. BrownThumb, but his blogs, his advice, and his photos have rapidly become an important part of Tomato Fest. Check out his good work at the link posted above.

Stay tuned! The best is truly yet to come. We are planning for our Heirloom BLT fest in August at Chicago's best restaurants, as well as TomatoFest itself.

Cheers

Buy a plant, meet a legend in Organic farming!

2009-06-02T08:11:00.001-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that organic farmer and pioneer Charlie Barra from Mendocino, California will be helping to sell Tomato Plants at Uncommon Ground on Devon this Friday night. In addition to offering thoughts on keeping your tomatoes alive, we'll be sampling the wines he grows as well.

Charlie Barra's (right) first crop was in 1945 when he was just as a junior in High School! Today, the family owns and farms 200 acres of certified organic vineyards in Mendocino and was one of the earliest adopters of organics in the region. His family produces wines made from organically grown grapes under the Girasole and Barra labels (proudly distributed by our company, Candid Wines in IL).

We will have the Girasole Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir available to taste. Please stick around for the Uncommon Ground Friday Farmer's Market that will be happening all around us. Bring a sac and a few extra dollars to take advantage of this terrific new addition to the Chicago Farmer's market landscape. There will be fresh produce, live music, and an all around good vibe.

Those of you who attended TomatoFest 2008 will remember that along with Goose Island, Girasole was the adult beverage sponsor of the evening. We are thrilled that the timing worked our for Charlie and Martha's visit as we get plants in the ground this year.

As a reminder the sale starts at 4:00. If our experience last time is any indication, those of you with your sites on a specific variety should arrive early!

No Sale at Green City Market this week

2009-06-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

Slow Food will have a table at the Green City Market this week, but they will not be selling plants. If you are looking for a plant, you'll have to meet us at Uncommon Ground on Devon on Friday afternoon. We will have all of the plants at Uncommon and will look to sell them all on Friday.

Again - no sale at Green City Market this week, but lots of plants at Uncommon Ground on Devon on Friday!

Remaining Plants for Sale - 2009

2009-05-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

I just received a count of the remaining plants for sale at our June 5th event. Please note that these are rough and conservatively low counts for each, so I hope we have a touch more than advertised.

If you'd like to buy a particular variety, please remember that the sales are first come, first serve, so please arrive early. Not sure which variety is for you? Google any of the names for descriptions, or head to this page on the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds' web site. I bought all the seed from BC and they have good descriptions. When possible, I have a link to a picture of the plants we grew last year. All of these pictures were taken at the end of harvest - a few of the plants had seen better days, but all contributed bravely to Chicago TomatoFest 2008. To view the entire album from last year, please see my picassa album.

Plants for Sale:

Black Brandywine - 16 (Slightly under-ripe here, but it was the end of the season).

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Black Cherry 8
Cherokee Purple 8
Cuor di Bue – 5

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Dad’s Sunset 5
Early Pink Cherry 10
Granny Cantrell German 8
Illini Star 2
Japanese Black Trifele 20 (A great example of a wonderful tomato that would never sell in a standard supermarket. Great, dark, flavor).

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Kellogg’s Breakfast 12

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Marmande 6

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Mortgage Lifter 9
This is a Slow Food Ark of Taste Variety!
Pics and description from Tomato Basics

Pantano Romanesco 2
Paul Robeson 7 (As deep, broad, and inspiring a flavor as the voice of its namesake).
http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/melody_1160502424_104.jpg
Persimmon 12
Plum Lemon 4
Principe Borghese 12
Purple Russian 4

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Riesentraube 20

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Tappy’s Heritage 18

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Tatar from Mongolia 2

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Tess’s Land Race Currant 12

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Thai Pink Egg 18
Tonados des Conores 6

From Casten Tomato Log, 2008

Wapsipinicon Peach 18
Pearly Pink Cherry 10

Lou: One of Chicago's Heirloom Tomato Groupies

2009-05-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

From Conservatory Tomato Plant Sale 2009

At 3:40 on May 27th, an entirely new class of food lover came to my attention: The Heirloom Tomato Groupie. This is a picture of Lou, waiting patiently for us to set up the 150 + plants that we brought to the Garfield Park Conservatory. Never in a million years did I suspect that we would have people waiting to buy the plants. What were we selling. Pearl Jam tickets?

With specific directions from his wife encouraging him to "buy as many varieties as possible" Lou was our first customer. He snagged about 12 plants, including Black Brandywine, Tess's Land Race Currant, Mortgage Lifter, and Paul Robeson. I hope they have room. Thanks Lou, and best of luck this season.

Within minutes after we opened, we were swamped. Here is the scene at 4:15:

From Conservatory Tomato Plant Sale 2009

What this does not show is that included in the customers where young women with kids in tow, older couples, younger couples, kids, serious gardeners, serious Garden Bloggers (that's you, Mr. BrownThumb) and people who were just walking by at the right time. Great stuff. All told, we sold nearly $500 worth of plants that was split 50/50 between the Garfield Park Conservatory and Slow Food Chicago.

If you are among the people who were shut out, I apologize. We will have more plants for on June 5th at Uncommon Ground on Devon and June 6th at the Green City Market. For more, please follow this link.

Finally, a big thanks to our co-conspirators, Michael Thompson of The Chicago Honey Coop, and Leslie Swibes and Kassia Perpich of Slow Food Chicago. Robin Cline of the GPC is not pictured, but she made the space available. To see all my pictures from the event, visit the album here.

From Conservatory Tomato Plant Sale 2009