Today's beneficial seasonal food from the Plant Kingdom...

Brandywine Heirloom Tomatoes

If there is a tomato to glorify, look no further: the brandywine heirloom tomato is it, folks! This explosion of rich tomato flavor will put your taste buds into overdrive. It is the sweetest of the heirloom family of tomatoes, and I have been buying it every week at my local organic farmers market.

History: This variety dates back to the late 1800s and is regarded as one of the world’s finest flavored ‘beefsteak’ tomatoes ever offered and a fine representative of the heirloom family. The Brandywine’s thin skin prevented it from being shipped long distances, thus it was not widely grown commercially. Check with your local organic farmer for availability. Delivering 50 percent of the domestic crop, Florida supplies the marketplace with Brandywines from October through June. California Brandywines are available May through December and Mexico contributes to the supply January through April.

Description: Brandywine heirloom tomatoes grow on large plants that produce one to two pounds of delicious fruit (yes, the tomato is a fruit.) Offering an outstanding rich tomato taste, the meaty red flesh delivers consistent high quality. Delivering old-fashioned down home real tomato flavor, this variety is a beefsteak-style tomato.

Nutritional Info: This beauty is not just external. Internally, it is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium, all helping to stimulate your body’s immune system. Research shows tomatoes contain the antioxidant and anticancer agent lycopene, which gives them their bright red color. It also helps fight cancer by meeting fruits/vegetables quotas, as eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Tomatoes also contain p-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid, which can block the formation of nitrosamines that can destroy DNA and are cause cancer. Tomatoes contain complex carbohydrates, protein and dietary fiber, too. One medium tomato has about 35 calories.

Applications: Brandywine tomatoes are the most alkaline of all tomatoes, especially when eaten raw. Slice them and eat them as a snack, on an open face sandwich or, to get the most out of their flavor (usually my favorite way to eat them), dice and incorporate them into salads. Combine tomatoes with any of the following to enhance flavor: garlic, parsley, basil, olive oil, dill, celtic salt and oregano . To store, do not refrigerate, as tomatoes offer their best flavor at room temperature.