Blue Raf Tomatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Blue Raf tomatoes vary in size and shape, depending on the growing region, time in the season, and age of the plant. The variety averages 3 to 10 centimeters in diameter and has an irregular appearance, showcasing a round, oval, to slightly flattened nature with deep ribs and furrows. These grooves mainly form around the stem and on the shoulders, and the rest of the tomato has a curved, plump look. One distinguishing characteristic of Raf tomatoes is their closed pedicle leaves, which are the dark green leaves around the stem. Blue Raf tomatoes are found in dark purple, green, red, and red-pink hues. The darkest coloring occurs where the skin is most exposed to the sun during cultivation, commonly the shoulders and top of the tomato. The skin is semi-thin, smooth, taut, glossy, and has a crisp texture. Underneath the skin, the pale red-pink flesh is firm, aqueous, and crunchy. As the variety ripens, the flesh will become softer with age. The flesh also encases chambers of tiny seeds suspended in a gelatinous liquid. Some Raf tomatoes will have more seeds than others. Blue Raf tomatoes mature from the inside out and are edible raw or cooked. The tomatoes reach 9 to 12 degrees Brix, a measurement of sugar in the flesh. These sugar levels contribute to a sweet taste combined with balanced acidity to create a savory, sweet, fruity, and tangy flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Blue Raf tomatoes are available in the fall through late spring, with a peak season from December through May.
Current Facts
Blue Raf tomatoes, botanically classified as Solanum lycopersicum, are a premium variety belonging to the Solanaceae family. The pigmented tomatoes were bred in France in the late 20th century and are a specialty cultivar only grown in limited quantities in Europe. Blue Raf tomatoes develop on compact, small, and low-yielding plants. The plants require a specific water salinity during cultivation and produce around 3 to 4 kilograms of tomatoes per season, compared to other common commercial varieties that can produce 20 to 22 kilograms each season. Raf tomatoes also require a specific microclimate for successful cultivation, limiting where they can be grown. It is important to note that there are many types of Raf tomatoes varying in size and color. Blue Raf tomatoes are favored for their savory-sweet flavor and crisp texture and are sold as a delicacy in select European markets. The variety is versatile and is sought after by chefs and home cooks for a wide array of raw and cooked culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Raf tomatoes are a source of potassium to balance fluid levels and replenish electrolytes within the body and fiber to regulate the digestive tract. Tomatoes also provide vitamins A, C, E, and K to strengthen the immune system, aid in faster wound healing, and maintain healthy organs while containing iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream. Other nutrients include copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese, calcium, and phosphorus. The tomato’s saturated, pigmented skin indicates the presence of anthocyanins, which have antioxidant properties to reduce inflammation and guard the cells against the damage caused by free radicals.
Applications
Blue Raf tomatoes have a fruity, sweet, savory, and subtly salty taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is valued for its rarity and limited availability, lending it to recipes where their flavor can be the focal taste. Blue Raf tomatoes are popularly sliced and eaten out of hand. The flesh is sprinkled with salt, drizzled in olive oil, and sometimes layered with basil or rosemary for enhanced flavoring. The variety can also be added to salads, sliced and layered on sandwiches, or cut and served with quick pickled onions as a light snack. Raf tomatoes are typically consumed in two different stages. Their “pintón” or slightly underripe stage has more acidity and a firmer nature, creating a combination ideal for raw purposes. Once mature, the variety softens in texture and becomes a choice ingredient for sauces and soups. Blue Raf tomatoes can be used in any preparation calling for tomatoes and are often utilized in caprese, tartare, and carpaccio. They are also diced into salsa, stuffed and baked, used as a pizza topping, or grilled for savory nuances. In Almería, Spain, Raf tomatoes are simmered with butterbeans or combined with sliced bell peppers, aromatics, and spicy peppers cured in vinegar as a topping over crusty bread in the tapas dish tabernero de Almería. They are also incorporated into gazpacho and as a base flavoring in various main dishes. Blue Raf tomatoes pair well with cheeses such as burrata, feta, manchego, and goat, herbs including basil, oregano, and mint, and nuts such as pine, almonds, and walnuts. Whole Blue Raf tomatoes should be kept at room temperature in a cool location away from direct sunlight. It is recommended to store them in a wicker basket or someplace with openings to allow the ethylene gas emitted from the tomatoes during ripening to escape. Once ripe, the variety will keep for 3 to 4 days. It is not recommended to store the tomatoes in the fridge, but some consumers choose to do so to prevent the variety from further ripening.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Blue Raf tomatoes acquired their name from their coloring and resistance to an infamous tomato fungus. Raf is an acronym for “resiste à fusarium,” meaning “resistance to fusarium” in English. Fusarium is a fungus found in soil that can devastate crops by causing problems such as rot, wilting, lesions, and overall decay. In the late 1950s, fusarium adapted to the climatic conditions of Spain and began destroying tomato crops, especially the Marmande variety grown in the Almería region. Farmers lost large amounts of their crops and began requesting breeders for a variety that could survive against the fusarium fungus. Raf tomatoes were the developed solution to this demand and were named Raf specifically to highlight their disease-resistant nature. Later, as new types of Raf tomatoes were released, Blue was added to the name of the tomatoes with dark-colored skin. Blue is a common term used to describe pigmented tomato varieties in commercial markets worldwide.
Geography/History
Blue Raf tomatoes are native to France and were developed in the mid to late 20th century. The variety was created by Clause, a French company established in 1891. Clause is now known as HM Clause in the modern-day since the merging of three companies in 2008 and is well-known for their development of Marmande tomato strains. In 1961, Marmande tomatoes were crossed with South American varieties that showcased resistance to common tomato diseases. This cross was made to meet demands for a tomato variety in Europe with increased fungus and disease resistance. Scientists spent over seven years naturally selecting and evaluating new strains of Marmande tomatoes, and one was eventually chosen and commercially released under the name Marmande Raf tomatoes. Despite the new variety’s origins in France, Raf tomatoes were introduced to Spain in the late 1960s and were trialed in the Alicante and Murcia regions as a possible replacement for the original Marmande tomatoes being grown in the area. Raf tomatoes adapted well to select microclimates in Spain, especially in the Bay of Almería, where ample sunshine, salt-filled groundwater, and a Mediterranean sea-breeze climate created an ideal site for cultivation. Since the 1960s, Raf tomatoes are primarily produced in Spain and regions in France and are only grown in limited quantities. Other strains, including Blue Raf, were also created over time for variation and appeal in commercial markets. The tomatoes are cultivated in sheltered outdoor areas and greenhouses in France and Spain and sold domestically and exported throughout Europe. Today, Blue Raf tomatoes are seasonally found in specialty markets throughout Europe, mainly in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Germany. They are also grown as a home garden cultivar.
