Over The Weekend

Berries were the find at the Farmer's Market over the weekend. I found Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and even Fall Golden Raspberries. They taste just like a regular raspberry but are pale yellow in color. Strawberries are still “growing” strong at the market. I bought a few baskets of them.

As you know I am a huge fan of the Heirloom tomato so I bought three pounds to make a great salad for later this week(stay tuned!) One thing I have noticed lately are “Heirloom Potatoes”. This made me think-what is it about a fruit or vegetable that causes it to be called “Heirloom”? I researched it and this is what I found:

“The definition of the use of the word heirloom to describe plants is highly debated. One school of thought places an age or date point on the cultivars. For instance, one school says that it must be over 100 years old, others 50 years, and others pick an arbitrary date of 1945 that marks the end of World War II and roughly the beginning of widespread hybrid use by growers and seed companies or industrial agriculture. It was after the end of World War II that hybrid seeds began to proliferate in the commercial seed trade. Another way of defining heirloom cultivars is to use the definition of the word "heirloom" in its truest sense. Under this interpretation, a true heirloom is a cultivar that has been nurtured, selected, and handed down from one family member to another for many generations”.
Above excerpt taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heirloom_tomato

So-I find that I am more apt to believe the “Heirloom” is handed down from one family member to another for generations but that doesn’t mean the first definition cannot also be true-right? Because maybe the family handed it down for 50-100 years? Hmmm.

The Heirloom potatoes are delicious. I like to make them sautéed with some olive oil, a small amount of sea salt and a sprinkle of blue cheese on top. I find I love the combination of the nutty flavor of the blue fingerlings with the blue cheese.