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The time is ripe

Get your taste buds ready to sample 140 different tomato varieties at Milaeger’s annual Tomatomania

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BY KATHLEEN TROHER

ktroher@kenoshanews.com


There’s something magical about growing tomatoes.

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You buy a little plant. Transfer it into a container or a sliver of soil in your yard. You don’t have to baby it, other than regular watering and maybe a little fertilization.

Then one day it happens: A tiny green fruit emerges. Slowly, it blushes. Each passing day brings more color, more fullness, more anticipation until it’s ready to be plucked from the vine and you bite into the plump, juicy, redness.

Ah, the flavor. The freshness. The sweetness. Mother Nature’s candy.

Kevin Milaeger knows your joy.

 
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No only does he grow his own tomatoes — with bold, marvelous names like Bloody Butcher, Green Zebra and Orange Jubilee — but his family business celebrates the tomato annually with Tomatomania.

This year’s free event is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 11 at Milaeger’s, 4838 Douglas Ave., Racine. It draws hundreds, some there to ask questions of the master gardeners from the University of Wisconsin-Extension horticulture program, others enjoying tomato-based foods prepared by a chef from Milwaukee’s Bartolotta’s restaurants. But the main attraction for many visitors is the blind taste test of about 140 different tomato varieties, all grown at Milaeger’s.

No one is expected to try all 140, many of which are heirloom types. But participants can sample what they want and let their taste buds do the voting.

“The voting helps us determine which tomato plant varieties we will be offering in the coming year,” Milaeger said. “And after voting, people get a reference key so they know what they liked and can make notes on their favorites. Then we tabulate and post the results.”

What you like and why

Milaeger said cherry tomatoes usually top the list of favorites because of their sweetness, while the paste tomatoes often rank at the bottom because they’re more dense and meaty. But it’s a blind taste test, so anything can happen.

Having a list of favorites should help clear some of the confusion that emerges each spring. Folks head out to buy tomato plants and they’re overwhelmed by the names and descriptions.

“There are so many varieties out there, and people don’t have brand name recognition for tomatoes the way they do with apples, like McIntosh and Granny Smith,” Milaeger said.

Those who participate in Tomatomania can bring their reference key with them next spring, using it to remind them what they liked and why.

There will be plenty of red tomatoes at Tomatomania, but folks also will find yellow, orange, ripe green, “black” and bicolor types. Peppers will be well represented, too, with the event featuring some 30 types.

Treats for the taste buds

While folks are milling around enjoying the tomatoes (and beer and tomato-based drinks), Milaeger will be hard at work at the Salsa Center. Salsas and pico de gallo creations are the highlight here, and Milaeger will spend much of the four-hour event chopping the ingredients for Heirloom Tomato Tuscan Treat (see recipe).

The recipe calls for tomatoes in an assortment of colors.

“The more colorful, the better the presentation,” Milaeger said. “That’s what I’m aiming for.”

This is the ninth year for Tomatomania, and the Tuscan Treat has been part of the event for at least four.

Milaeger has altered the original recipe, tweaking it here and there. For example, he doesn’t add peppers because he doesn’t want that flavor competing with the tomatoes. For the same reason, he uses leeks rather than onions.

“The leeks are more mild than onions,” Milaeger said, adding that a team of three people are preparing Tuscan Treat constantly throughout Tomatomania. That because just as quickly as they make it, the Tuscan Treat is gobbled up.

“It’s always a huge hit,” Milaeger said.

If you go

What:

Tomatomania

Where:

Milaeger’s, 4838 Douglas Ave., Racine

When:

Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (store hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Featuring:

Blind taste test of about 140 different tomato varieties all grown at Milaeger’s; sampling of 30 types of peppers; Salsa Center with salsas, pico de gallos, Tuscan Treat and more; beer, tomato-based drinks and wine; food prepared by chef from Milwaukee’s Bartolotta’s restaurant; UW-Extension master gardeners and flowering bulb company representative answering questions; door prizes

Cost:

Free

More information:

www.milaegers.com

HEIRLOOM TOMATO TUSCAN TREAT

1 1/2 ounces extra virgin olive oil

1/2 ounce balsamic vinegar

1 dash sea salt

1 dash freshly ground pepper

juice of 1/4 lemon

2 packages toasted bagel crackers

2 cups heirloom tomatoes (assorted colors)

1/2 cup leeks (or onions or shallots)

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese*

6-8 fresh basil leaves (large leaves)

Mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and lemon. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Slice and dice the tomatoes so they easily can be served on the crackers. Slice and dice the leeks similarly. Cut the mozzarella into small pieces, about the size of a dime. Chop the basil into tiny pieces. Mix the tomatoes, leeks, cheese and basil. Drain off, since some tomato varieties can be very juicy. Combine with the mixture prepared earlier. Serve with crackers.

Hints:

-- Allow guests to fill their own crackers. If you do it ahead of time, they get soggy.

-- Ingredient proportions can be modified to taste.

-- Let the tomatoes sit out so they are at room temperature before you start slicing and dicing.

-- You can use onions or shallots instead of leeks, but leeks are less likely to compete with the tomato flavor.

* The mozzarella cheese used in this recipe is fresh mozzarella, which is a semi-soft cheese.





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