Growing up, I used to hate tomatoes. That is, until I had fresh tomatoes, picked right off the vine. Since then, tomatoes had become one of my favourite fruits.
Ottawa Farmers’ Market holds a big Tomato Fest every year, featuring locally grown heirloom tomatoes from local farmers. It’s one of my favourite events of the year, not only because I get to celebrate this stellar fruit, but also because it’s a great opportunity to discover and learn about new varieties, meet the farmers that grow them, and also find different tomato products.
This year, market-goers were able to taste-test a variety of different tomatoes, from classic Beefsteaks and San Marzanos to more obscure kinds, like “Black Pineapples” and “Brad’s Atomic Grape”. A ballot box was available so that people could cast votes for their favourite tomatoes.
There was also a contest for the ugliest tomato, with crazily misshapen fruit, in a rainbow of colours. I personally think that the most deformed tomatoes are the most beautiful haha. In the photos, the tomatoes all appear red, but they were also pink, yellow, orange, green, purple, and even a mix of several colours.
One of my favourite parts of this festival is the Chef’s Tasting Table, where a local chef creates a meal inspired by tomatoes. Chef West De Castro of Clover Food and Drink hosted this year’s table. She wowed us with a dish containing ingredients almost exclusively from market vendors!
Fresh tomatoes with grilled corn, sheep’s milk feta, hard egg and basil; dressed with apple cider vinegar, honey, and sunflower oil; served on green tomato and jalapeño sauce, with tomato conserva on red Fife focaccia.
The festivities didn’t end there: horse drawn wagon rides, a make-your-own butter stall (thanks to Canada Agriculture and Food Museum), and plenty of kid-friendly activities could also be found.
I ended up taking home 35 tomatoes (in an Uber swanky new market bag!), including a giant Striped German (Acorn Creek), a basket of Mountain Magic + romas (Waratah Downs), Ultra Pinks (Just Farm), colourful heirloom Beefsteaks, and a couple mystery tomatoes.
I’ve already eaten tomatoes at every meal today.
Overall, it was a fantastic event. I am ecstatic about all my tomatoes – I’ve already made a small dent in my haul. I can hardly wait for next year’s event!