tomatoes

All-rounders that are always on trend in the kitchen

Nikolaus Berlakovich, President of the Chamber of Agriculture, and tomato farmer Erwin Binder from St. Andrä am Zicksee.(Bild: Charlotte Titz)

August 8th is "tomato day". Incidentally, the nightshade plant is the favorite vegetable of the people of Burgenland.  

The tomato, or as it is called in Burgenland "the tomato", actually comes from South America. Initially less popular in Europe, it has since made a triumphal march and has become an indispensable part of local dishes.

With around a third of the production area, Burgenland is the largest tomato-growing region in Austria. Last year, around 16,635 tons of the love apple were harvested in Burgenland. "Eleven hectares of these were grown outdoors, 47 hectares in greenhouses and foil tunnels," says Nikolaus Berlakovich, President of the Chamber of Agriculture.

Rarities are particularly in vogue
One person who has been growing tomatoes for 32 years is Erwin Binder from St. Andrä am Zicksee. "I started growing unusual tomato varieties around 25 years ago. And we've stuck with it," explains the farmer.

Oxheart and co: the large tomatoes are more difficult to market than the smaller varieties.(Bild: Charlotte Titz)

The tasty "pineapple tomato" weighs around 500 grams.(Bild: Charlotte Titz)

Around 20 different varieties are part of the regular repertoire, and just as many rarities are tried out every year. The best are then added to the regular list. But what makes a really good tomato? "For us, it has to score just as highly in terms of taste as it does in terms of yield," says Binder. It is also important that it is robust, less susceptible to disease and looks interesting. Accordingly, he sells the "Green Zebra" as well as the "Black Cherry" or the "Mirimiri". By the way: nutrition experts recommend eating 250g of tomatoes a day. Well then: Enjoy your meal!