Tomatoes: Local, Seasonal, Perfect

Tomatoes are the most popular crop among vegetable gardeners. A vine-ripened tomato from the garden blows away a store bought tomato. Local seasonal Florida tomatoes grown in rich soil taste much better than tomatoes grown in depleted soil and shipped a long distance.


In the world of Botany the tomato is a fruit. Although most of us consider it a vegetable. Tomatoes are a staple ingredient in kitchens worldwide. I love tomatoes. There are so many varieties, shapes, sizes, and tastes that I find them delightful to cook with.

Florida tomatoes are mostly grown in South Florida. Right now we are in the peak months of production April and May. So I thought it appropriate to shine the spotlight on them.

There are numerous varieties of tomatoes grown in Florida such as Cherry, Grape, Green, Cherokee Purple, Plum, Heirloom and the colorful Tangerine Tomato, just to name a few. Many of these varieties were at my local farmers market today and found their way into my salad.

Drunken Goat Cheese of Murcia is a Spanish goat cheese that is dunked in red wine for two to three days. The rind takes on a wonderful purple color while the flavor of the red wine impregnates the cheese. This cheese has a mild nutty taste. I enhanced the nuttiness…my lovely wife says there’s much nuttiness emanating from my kitchen these days…by topping the cheese with finely grated walnuts.

Finish the salad off with a tangy Pedro Ximenez Vinagreta and a chiffonade of arugula. Local, seasonal, organic, simple tasty fare at it’s finest.

Vinagreta Pedro Ximenez:
2 tbs Pedro Ximenez (Spanish sherry vinegar)
4 tbs avocado oil
1 tbs organic honey
Pinch sea salt
Pinch black pepper

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!