Spotlighting Summer Tomatoes
Vine-ripened heirlooms are taking center stage right now.
Find these juicy beauties in all their glory at these Bay Area restaurants:
* Saratoga’s Sent Sovi hosts its third annual “Heirloom Tomato Dinner” on Aug. 26. Chef Josiah Slone will even feature some of his own homegrown ones at this special five-course meal that starts with “Lemon Boy Sake Cocktails” with tomato bites, and winds its way through slow-cooked lamb confit with poached tomato sauce before ending with tomato and peanut tart with pomegranate sorbet.
Price is $115, and includes paired wines.
If you can’t make it that particular night, have no fear; the restaurant will feature the tomato menu in lieu of its regular tasting menu, Aug. 27-29.
* Throughout August, the Lark Creek Restaurant Group will be creating inventive new dishes with Marvel Stripe, Purple Cherokee, Goliath and other heirloom varieties.
Look for dishes such as Dungeness crab and heirloom tomato salad with yellow tomato sorbet at One Market Restaurant in San Francisco; seafood-stuffed heirloom tomato with olives, capers, basil and lemon oil at Yankee Pier at Santana Row in San Jose; and Muscovy duck with white corn, summer squash, hickory-smoked bacon and heirloom tomato relish at the Tavern at Lark Creek in Larkspur.
* Gott’s Roadside in St. Helena, Napa and San Francisco is serving up its home-grown green tomatoes, fried with spicy chili aioli ($4.99), until supplies last.
The tomatoes are from its St. Helena garden, as is the fresh basil in its pesto on the menu.
* Also in Wine Country, the Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar in Sonoma will host its fifth annual “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes,” Sept. 14-20.
Tomatoes will take over the menu at this restaurant, which harvests about 48 pounds of tomatoes from its garden every day at the height of summer. Dishes to be featured include “Menage a Tomato with Housemade Mozzarella and Watermelon Gazpacho” and a “PBLT” sandwich with pork belly.
The tomato dishes can be ordered a la carte or as part of a tasting menu for $45 for three courses or $65 for five courses.
Additionally, look for a “Cherokee Tomato Flight” of wines, which take its cues from the deep flavors of that particular heirloom, as well as cocktails such as a tomato basil martini.
If that weren’t enough, the campy classic, “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes,” will be projected continuously throughout the week in the dining room and the bar.
* Bardessono in Yountville gets into the tomato act, Sept. 10-12, with a series of delicious events.
First up, Sept. 10, enjoy a winemaker dinner with Hill Family Estate, which will feature five tomato-loving courses, each paired with a different wine. Price is $135 per person.
Second, Sept. 11, it’s “Build Your Own BLT and Tomato Tasting.” Yes, build your own sammy with more than 30 different tomatoes, artisanal bacon, burrata, fresh-baked breads, fresh basil and gourmet salts. Enjoy Hill Family Estates wines with your creation. The event, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., is $50 per person.
Finally, Sept. 12, enjoy Chef Sean O’Toole’s take on a farmers market brunch with a trio of Bloody Marys made with fresh-picked tomatoes. Brunch, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., is $40 per person.
Special hotel packages also are available for this three-day “Tomatoville.”
* Last but not least, don’t miss out on the 14th annual “Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival,” 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 11 at its Santa Rosa winery.
You’ll get to taste a whopping 175-plus varieties of tomatoes, as well as enjoy inventive tomato dishes from Bay Area chefs. Garden tours also will be offered, as well as plenty of wine tasting opportunities, too.
Tickets are $65 per person ($60 for Wine Club members).
Food Gal's RSS feed.
Friday, 20. August 2010 6:07
Tomatoes are my favorite food! Amazing events!
Friday, 20. August 2010 6:24
I keep seeing Heirloom Tomatoes on various blogs… no idea what they are but they do look really plump and inviting. I am not very good at working with Tomatoes – it will interesting to see what all these Tomato meals will feature…
Friday, 20. August 2010 7:04
A fresh summer tomato is a beautiful thing, when it is bursting with flavour, its a great item to showcase.
Have a wonderful weekend ahead.
*kisses* HH
Friday, 20. August 2010 7:53
Beautiful tomatoes! I can never get enough of heirlooms…
Cheers,
Rosa
Friday, 20. August 2010 8:24
I love heirlooms too! Funny how a lot of these special events are in Napa Valley! It’s like the heirloom tomato is king there.
Friday, 20. August 2010 8:58
Tomatoes are one of my favorite! especially fresh ones like your picture! Thanks for postinig this.
Faith
Friday, 20. August 2010 10:43
Love those heirlooms. I can’t make most of the dish without tomato
Friday, 20. August 2010 11:36
http://www.thebarbarycoastnews.com/index.php?itemid=1834
Lafitte dinner August 22d features a tomato-and-corn dinner with guest distiller/owner Steve McCarthy of Clear Creek Distillery, Oregon.
“Guests will enjoy a multi-course dinner with each course paired with cocktails featuring Clear Creek Distillery spirits.” and yadda yadda. I’m trying to imagine how cocktails can pair with tomato and corn … intend to find out.
Friday, 20. August 2010 12:23
Gorgeous tomatoes!
Friday, 20. August 2010 20:40
Serious tomato envy here. I would so love to go to that Kendall-Jackson event.
*waaaah!*
Friday, 20. August 2010 21:23
This the season to eat tomatoes like apples. Just bite into it and splurt juices everywhere. Mmm.
Saturday, 21. August 2010 17:15
I’m so with you on heirloom tomatoes. In Australia we had decades of watery tasteless tomatoes that the supermarkets wanted because they transported easily. I’m so glad that heirlooms have made a comeback. Hooray for taste!
Sunday, 22. August 2010 17:06
it is amazing to see such huge awesome tomatoes! so refreshing1 nice shot!
Monday, 23. August 2010 6:07
This makes it seem like summer is coming to an end. Not yet! I want tomatoes to keep coming for a few more months.
Wednesday, 25. August 2010 18:17
Thank goodness for summer tomatoes, let the canning begin. I’m gearing up and almost cannot wait until winter to enjoy my bounty.
Thursday, 26. August 2010 5:23
A 5 course heirloom tomato dinner? Makes me wish I lived closer, I’m obsessed with heirloom tomatoes!
Saturday, 28. August 2010 12:02
Just had the most juicy and sweet heirloom salad at Lolo on Thursday. The ricotta mousse and oregano were a lovely complement!