Spring is still a little ways off here in Rochester, but my family had a taste of summer on our table last night thanks to the folks at Bolton Farms in Hilton. They had fresh hydroponic heirloom tomatoes at the Winter Farmer's Market at Cornell Cooperative Extension last night. I got about a dozen tomatoes of varying sizes (including some cherries) and hues, ranging from yellow and green to orange-red and even a striped variety, all ripe and ready to eat. They were so beautiful and aromatic, I just couldn't resist! The price: $5 and worth every penny. If you enjoy tomatoes, you know that most of the ones you can buy in the supermarket during the winter months have little to no flavor. I almost never bother. But these were juicy and favorful!
I've been getting lettuce and herbs from Bolton Farms for several weeks now, as they sell at both the Rochester Public Market on Saturdays and the Wednesday night market. A nice big bag of mixed lettuces sells for $3.50 or two for $5. It made a nice bed for the sliced tomatoes, topped off by some fresh mozzarella pearls and a light vinaigrette. The only thing that would have made it better would have been some fresh basil, but Bolton did not have any and neither did the supermarket.
The best part? I still have some tomatoes left over for tonight! I'll be serving them alongside my friend Nell's Maple-Parsnip Soup. So what if the winter root vegetable and the summery tomatoes make an odd juxtaposition? It will be delicious! And if we're not too greedy tonight, we might even have a few tomatoes left for tomorrow.
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