Know Your Heirloom Produce?

From farmer's markets to five-star restaurants and upscale specialty food stores, heirloom fruits and vegetables are being embraced by consumers willing to pay for "real" food that often tastes better than it looks. Defining heirloom fruits and vegetables is not easy as the term has several meanings. Some gardeners say the plant must have been introduced at least 50 years ago, while others believe varieties should be 100 years old to qualify. Even newer varieties may be considered heirloom if they possess a distinctive look or taste. To some, heirloom means local, to others organic, and to still others it can mean the small-scale farmer who's more interested in taste than appearance. Tomatoes and fingerling potatoes are the best-known heirlooms. In contrast to heirlooms, commercial fruits and vegetables are usually grown in assembly-line fashion and often have less intense taste.

Here is a sampling of some favorite heirlooms:

Fingerling Potatoes

French: Medium-sized, tube-shaped potatoes that have a smooth reddish-orange skin. They're thick-skinned and should be cooked whole and unpeeled. Great in salads and excellent baked, roasted or steamed.

Purple Peruvian: Named for its brilliant purple flesh and skin, this startling variety is still grown in the Andes Mountains of Peru. It has a mealy texture.

Ruby Crescent: Long and slender with rosy-pink skin and sweet yellow flesh. Excellent roasted.

Russian Banana: Developed in the Baltic States, this popular yellow-skinned fingerling is shaped like a banana. Ideal for potato salad.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Black Prince: Dark, with thick red flesh and sweet, nutty taste.

Brandywine: This large, thick-skinned beefsteak is an Amish heirloom dating back to 1885. Prized for its sweet, rich, slightly spicy flavor.

Green Zebra: A small yellowish-green tomato with green stripes.

Lemon Boy: More flavorful than most yellow tomatoes, this lemon-yellow variety is lovely sliced.

Marvel Stripe: Preserved through five generations of a family in Oaxaca, Mexico, this large beefsteak has yellow and red stripes. It's mild and sweet.

Heirloom Apples

Ashmead's Kernel: This old English favorite was first grown by a Dr. Ashmead in the 1700s. Its skin blends copper, red and gold, while its juicy yellowish flesh is both sweet and tart. Available October to December.

Esopus Spitzenberg: Originally grown in the mid-1700s near Esopus, N.Y., this hard sweet-tart apple was reputed to be Thomas Jefferson's favorite. Available late September to early October.

Golden Russet: America's favorite russet originated in the 1700s. Golden with an orange blush, it has a rich sweet flavor and firm flesh. Available October to February.

Pomme Grise: Sweet and nutty-flavored, this firm, green-gold apple with a slight orange blush comes from the St. Lawrence Valley. Available September and October.