One of the unique heirloom tomato varieties available for tasting.
Summer may have come really late this year, but here’s proof positive that it’s finally arrived. Sonoma’s king of harvest celebrations, the Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival, takes place this Saturday, Sept. 11 in Santa Rosa.
Crazy weather, yes? It’s been the coldest summer on record since 1975, and tomatoes simply didn’t get the heat they needed to ripen.
But better late than never. Here are the delicious details to feed your fruit fantasies:
Plan to spend the entire day at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center for an extravaganza showcasing more than 175 heirloom tomato varieties in a flurry of exotic names like Blue Fruit, Peace Vine, Ding Wall Scotty and Pink Ping Pong.
In the 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. tasting on the winery lawns, some 50 notable chefs will create recipes like previous years’ offerings of tomato cotton candy, tomato macaroons, tomato crème brulee, a bevy of BLTs, and sparkling tomato water glittering with cucumber “pearls.”
Alongside will be oceans of wines.
Chef Jamie Lauren, and Bravo Top Chef alum, won the tomato recipe taste off at the 2009 Heirloom Tomato Festival.
It’s a serious feast. Last year, one happy guest trolling the food booths at the gala was overheard offering up a pretty good slogan.
“Eat until you can’t breathe; drink until you can’t walk.”
Just take notes in between forkfuls. Each chef competes to woo the most votes for his or her recipes honoring the tomatoes that are grown in every size, shape and color imaginable in KJ’s culinary gardens.
For 2009, that meant tasty takes like gazpacho shots of green tomato and cucumber with lemon verbena-infused olive oil from Kendall-
The Heirloom Tomato Tasting Tent lets visitors taste the weird & wacky named tomatoes.
Jackson; almond macarons with tomato jam from Chloe’s; and Zinfandel barbecue pulled pork in spinach wrap with heirloom tomato cheese spread and yellow tomato aioli from Cloverdale’s Zinful Chef.
Ultimately, the People’s Choice prize went to Pazzo of Petaluma, for its silky tomato-lobster bisque, while the Critic’s Choice honors were bestowed on the barbecued oysters with heirloom tomato relish from Nick’s Cove in Tomales Bay.
Which tomato temptation will reign supreme in 2010? You go. You be the judge.
Details: Kendall-Jackson Wine Center: 5007 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa, 800-769-3649.
I would be careful telling people to “drink until you can’t walk” . Unless you have a DD you know is good to go, know the police are out there looking for you before you can’t walk forever, or someone else can’t.
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Lindy, that is an excellent point, regarding that quote from a festival attendee last year. The people at KJ are excellent watchdogs for that very situation. The ticket price includes six tasting coupons, limiting consumption somewhat, and this year, they also offered free breathalyzer tests. But as you note, the best solution is for attendees to be responsible and always appoint a DD. Even one drink is too much for anyone behind the wheel.