Any in particular? Any restaurants in south Jersey serving exceptional tomatoes?
Well, the seasonās obviously over, but the Red Bank FM would be worth a visit. Not too far south.
Iād try Redemption in Asbury for something on a plate. I ran into ChefMd buying tomatoes at markets several times this past summer and have tried a couple of his offerings.
@tommy, The Clayton Family Farm, on Route 537, in Freehold, has fantastic tomatoes. They are the only farm in this area that grows Heirlooms. This past summer, the variety was extensive, and all were fantastic. Other tomato types, including Early Girl, were also terrific. Thereās a variety of other produce as well. Of course, youāll have to wait until next year as they closed Labor Day Weekend.
Hereās the post on my blog about this summerās produce.
This is generally true but the āJersey Tomatoā was no Brandywine or Mortgage Lifter. It was a round red tomato hybridized for marketability AND taste. At some point they dropped the tasteš. Some info and links here
http://www.njfarmfresh.rutgers.edu/jerseytomato.html
Thereās been a farm from Colts Neck bringing heirlooms to local farm markets all summer. Likewise, Mattās Farm Market in Belmar sells a few varieties they grow.
My favorites, however, grow in my yard. Iāve noticed a significant increase in the number of neighbors growing them over the past few years as well. The soil at the Shore is great for 'em.
Tough to find the good ones, it seems.
Iām partial to heirloom varieties. Which have little to do with the ājersey tomatoā that everyone talks about. Rutgers, Ramapo, you can keep them. Finding a good tomato at a restaurant in NJ is no easy feat, even during the short growing season. The idea that ājersey tomatoesā are exceptional when compared to those of the rest of the country is a bit silly. Iāve had incredible tomatoes in CA, PA, MA, and many other states.
Hauser Hill Farms (on Ticetown Road in Old Bridge) also had heirloom tomatoes the last couple of years. We didnāt get there this year, but Iām assuming they still had them.
(Oh, and the āOld Bridge Fresh Marketā was a no-show this year, at least as far as I could tell.)
Belmar is too far south for me to consider it as being in our area. Iād not heard of Hauser, in Old Bridge, or the farm in Colts Neck (@MZ, Do you know its name?). But since those towns are so close, I now know Clayton is not the only farm in our area growing heirlooms. Iāll have to check them out next summer.
The name continues to escape me, Iām afraid. They set up with their back to Front Street at the RB market, east of Hauserās, just past the place with the fresh mozzarella and stuffed breads. Maybe somebody else can fill in my mental blank?
What makes Jersey Tomatoes so good is that if you are in the region they are fresh, local and widely commercially grown making them easily accessible and affordable in season. When the farm trucks set up in city neighborhoods with corn tomatoes and melons that produce is an absolute wonder compared to what is generally available all year long hence the myth and legend of the Jersey Tomato
But none of this is unique to NJ. And the varieties grown in NJ arenāt notable. A myth indeed.
From a Nov 2015 post by MZ
Even though I am almost sure Mike posted here once or twice I canāt find him yet
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I concur; he definitely didā¦
He did but if memory serves me correctly he was only ChefMD on Chow, here he was something else.
Are you sure you arenāt in the CIA? Great research skills!!
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So funnyā¦I was on Chow YESTERDAY because I was trying to find my āreportā about one of my favorite meals, which was with my parents at Chef Cardozās counter at North End Grill. No luck, but it felt icky to even be on their site.
