Early Girl Tomatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
The Early Girl is a globe-shaped, early-season tomato. They are a relatively small-sized variety, measuring about 10 centimeters across and weighing 4 to 6 ounces. Early Girl tomatoes have smooth, taut, and slightly firm skin that ripens from green to bright red. Their skin displays occasional splotches of yellow and their pointy green stem becomes shriveled once the tomato is picked. Biting into the Early Girl tomato showcases its thick, meaty flesh and firm shape. Within this flesh are small, juicy pockets of semi-translucent yellow seeds. Early Girl tomatoes do not have a very noticeable aroma but when bitten into, may smell slightly vegetal. Their flavor is predominantly sweet, with a hint of acidity.
Seasons/Availability
Early Girl tomatoes are available during the summer.
Current Facts
The botanical name for Early Girl tomatoes is Solanum lycopersicum and they are part of the Solanaceae family. The Early Girl Tomato is a hybrid tomato known for its quick growth, early ripening, high productivity, and sprawling growth. One of the top sellers of Early Girl tomatoes is Monsanto, a company known for its production of hybrid crops. They became the patent holder for this tomato variety in 2005. Early Girl tomato seeds are popular among home gardeners and grow well alongside other produce like basil, asparagus, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, parsley, onion, and mint. After Early Girl tomatoes were discovered, modifications were made over the years, eventually earning them the title of readers’ favorite tomato in Sunset Magazine in 1993 and 1997.
Nutritional Value
Early Girl tomatoes are a good source of vitamins A, B, and C. These vitamins can help with vision, skin, immune health, brain function, and collagen production. They contain potassium and calcium, which can help with regulating blood pressure, muscle function, electrolyte balance, and bone and nerve health. Like all tomatoes, Early Girl contains lycopene, a compound that may have the potential to lower cholesterol and protect against cancer. Lycopene also protects the skin from UV damage and may be a good defense against heart disease when eaten regularly. Despite these health benefits, Early Girl tomatoes can cause skin irritation for some, necessitating the use of long sleeves and gloves when handling and harvesting them.
Applications
Early Girl tomatoes can be canned, cooked, fried, pickled, or eaten fresh. The fruit itself is edible, though the rest of the plant is toxic and should be removed before consumption. They are often sliced for sandwiches and bagels or cut into quarters for leafy salads. Raw Early Girl tomatoes bode well in Greek salads with cucumbers, feta cheese, olives, peppers, and herbs. Early Girl tomatoes can be used to make sauce, ketchup, soup, chutney, salsa, or tomato confit. They can be baked into tarts, diced into omelets, used in bruschetta recipes, added to curry, used as a pizza topping, or stirred into pasta. Early Girl tomatoes pair well with onions, garlic, capers, parsley, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, olive oil, polenta, sourdough bread, goat cheese, parmesan, shrimp, mushrooms, steak, and chicken. Early Girl tomatoes are best at room temperature. They can be stored in a fridge to extend their shelf life, though this alters the flavor and creates a mealy texture. For better long-term storage, Early Girl tomatoes should be canned or frozen.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The story of Early Girl tomatoes revolves around a man named Joe Howland, a former chairman of the Pan American Seed Company and board member of PetoSeed Co., one of the largest tomato seed suppliers in the world. Upon moving to Reno, Joe noticed that the city’s high desert climates made it hard for local gardeners to grow tomatoes. In the early 1970s, Joe asked PetoSeed to develop a tomato that didn’t succumb to these growing conditions. Though the company refused, Joe found luck in 1974. He discovered a tomato developed by a French company that was attractive, appetizing, and ideal for home gardens despite its short growing season. This tomato was called the Early Girl and was featured in W. Atlee Burpee Co’s 1975 spring catalog. After the variety’s debut, seed sales for Early Girl tomatoes were notable, increasing the tomato’s popularity for home garden use.
Geography/History
The Early Girl was originally developed in France but became popular in the United States during the 1970s. As a hybrid variety, Early Girl tomatoes are not found in the wild but are often grown in home gardens and sold as seeds. Early Girl tomatoes grow in hot, dry climates and do particularly well in environments with temperatures that fluctuate between night and day, such as desert climates. Once they were brought to the United States by horticulturalist Joe Howland, Early Girl tomatoes grew in popularity due to their vibrant flavor and early-season growing abilities. Their short growing season; however, makes them less appealing for commercial production. Early Girl tomato seeds are widely available for purchase and their most common method of growth is by home gardeners and organic farmers who can closely tend to the crop during their small harvest window.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Early Girl Tomatoes. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Lick My Spoon |
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Early Girl Tomato Sauce |
| Dash and Bella |
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Early Girl Tomato and Cheese Tart |
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