Red Fig Tomato

Another in the ongoing series – Exploring Tomatoes

These pear shaped heirlooms are small, averaging about 1.5 inches long. They have been grown in United States gardens for over two hundred years. In the past cooks used the fruit to make a sweet preserved delicacy that was enjoyed throughout the winter. Nowadays gardeners grow them for use in salads, contorni, tomato jam and more. This classic summer fruit cooks up beautifully, its full tomato flavor and sweet skin enhanced by the heat of cooking. Red Fig tomatoes, which grow in bunches, are slow to ripen, taking up to 90 days; once ripe, they hold well on the plant. Give this one plenty of room – it can reach over six feet, with a habit rather more up than out. Feed and water it regularly. Keep it free of pests, and it will reward you with a heavy yield that, in some growing zones, will last well into November.

Red Fig Tomatoes are listed on Slow Food’s Ark of Taste, a compendium of foods in danger of extinction. Protect this wonderful tomato for future generations – plant a Red Fig Tomato or ask your greengrocer to carry them.

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