General Information
The strong, indeterminate vines of this heirloom bear huge, beefsteak-type, slicing tomatoes that ripen toward the end of summer. The lovely, peachy-orange colors of the Persimmon Tomato deepen from its softly dented, light green shoulders to the bottom of its plump, globe-shaped fruit. A dependable variety even in cool summers, Persimmon’s vigorous plants produce one to two crack-resistant fruits per cluster. It is the perfect slicing tomato because it has a small seed cavity and is solid and meaty with a wonderful, rich, fruity flavor. For colorful platters of fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato salad, layer these persimmon-colored slices with purplish-red Black Russian and watermelon-red Brandywine and drizzle with herbed vinaigrette.
History
The tomato as we know it began being cultivated by the Aztecs in Central America. After their invasion the conquistadors brought the tomato to Europe where it was met with mixed reviews. Some countries dabbled with the new ingredient in their cuisines while others met the tomato with suspicion, believing it to be poisonous. However, even Europeans who didn’t trust the tomato as an edible crop, such as the British, grew the fruit in their garden, as they found it to be an ornamental curiosity. This aesthetic appreciation was so strong that the British colonists brought tomato seeds with them when they traveled to the “new world,” though they were not accepted as an edible crop until Thomas Jefferson began cultivating them at Monticello. From Virginia the tomato steadily grew in popularity throughout the United States. Today, tomatoes are the most commonly grown fruit in the world, more popular than apples or even bananas.
