Heirloom Tomatoes

My kingdom for a tomato that tastes like a tomato. I love this time of year for every reason under the sun, but especially for the farmer's markets. I love walking in the sunshine, talking to the farmers and ogling all of the gorgeous produce and flowers. I bought 5 of these beauties to accompany a beautiful grilled salmon dinner. 

My favorite sauce for grilling? Mix apricot jam and Dijon mustard and brush over salmon when it is almost cooked. Serve a side of sauce with the meal. 

Ombre Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes

I did not use a filter. I did not tweak the lighting. What you see is what I saw and I am still stunned by it. Look. At. These. Tomatoes.

This ombre display was offered in a booth at the West Seattle Farmers Market on Sunday, Sept 24. I regret not buying any, but it's almost as if I didn't want to disturb the display. 

If you see heirloom cherry tomatoes, buy them! They are as beautiful as they are delicious. 

#tomatoes #farmersmarket #ombre #ombreiseverything #seattle

Puzzled: When Food Could Be Art

I can't be the only one that thinks this would make a beautiful puzzle, yes? It would be hard, but what a lovely image to stare at on a rainy afternoon.

I took this photo last week at Cedar Sol Hydro Farm in Cedar, Michigan. I came for the tacos, but I was captivated by the tomatoes. The farm is king this time of year and I am a happy subject.  

Edible Flowers

I dug right in, I really did. How could you not eat something this beautiful? Plus a little salad dressing mellows out any sharp botanical flavors you might not be expecting.

It was a perfect Summer night at the cottage. For some reason I had the whole place to myself and I ate like a vegetarian. This flowerful salad, 2 ears of corn and some cherry clafoutis in the oven for dessert - heaven.

I found this big selection of edible flowers at a place called "The Ugly Tomato." They call themselves ugly because that they are a farm that grows and sells heirloom tomatoes that are warped and unusual looking. Have you seen heirloom tomatoes before? They really do boarder on ugly, but oh what flavor! Whenever the refrigerated section of this farm stand offers bagged edible flowers - I'm in!

Heirloom Tomatoes

These are the last of my heirloom tomatoes. The problem is...I don't know which ones are supposed to be green and which ones still need to ripen!

I planted three types: yellow, orangey-red and green. Hmm...hopefully I will get a few clues as I let them ripen indoors. Either way, aren't they beautiful? And the gorgeous French day-of-the-week dishtowel next to them is Mardi.

Fried green tomatoes anyone?

Tiny Tomatoes with Balsamic Glaze

Cute and delicious! What more could a girl want? I bought a quart of these beautiful heirloom cherry tomatoes at the farmer's market. If only I had brought a pen with me, I could tell you their names. When I expressed interest in them, the women that grew them started rattling off every variety. So cute! The only name that I can remember is "Jelly Bean."

I served these tiny tomatoes (whole & halved) with mini mozzarella balls and a drizzle of Blaze balsamic glaze. Dinner was grilled salmon with a sesame ginger crust, sticky rice and fresh green beans. Yum!