People line up for these tomatoes at the farmers’ market. Devotees follow a purveyor of these beans on Instagram. Heads turn for these radishes in the produce aisle. What’s the commonality of these foods? They’re heirlooms.

Heirloom foods have been around for centuries, but they seemed to have captured more widespread attention in more recent years. One reason is that heirloom varieties are the antidote to all that’s commercial, genetically modified, and mass-produced (more on that below). Another is that there’s an enigmatic quality to heirloom foods—which has us compelled to demystify what they are.

Heirloom Foods 101

In the simplest terms, an heirloom variety is a type of food—be it a vegetable, fruit, legume, flower, or grain—from seeds that have been repeatedly openly pollinated for a period of time and never crossbred nor modified. “Open pollination” means the natural occurrence of pollination that happens by wind, insect, bird, or another totally organic means. As for the “period of time,” experts vary over this with some stating that heirloom seeds need be at least five decades old and others claiming the seeds should be from years prior to World War II.

The descriptor “heirloom” pulls from the fact that these seeds have been honored and shared throughout time, often being passed from generation to generation within communities or families. This explains the often nostalgic, protected, proud aura that surrounds these varieties.

The Definition Debate

While the above all stands true, a uniform, legal definition for what makes a food heirloom does not exist—which makes these foods subject to debate. Unlike the specific guidelines that mandate what constitutes “organic,” heirloom foods are subject to the producer from which they’re offered. The word is used casually and often interchangeably with “heritage,” which more so describes poultry and meats that come from an original breed of animal with a long history.

Benefits and Appeal

To eat an heirloom tomato is to know, at first bite, the reasons for its appeal. The vibrant, juicy, robust flavor is electric compared to widespread varieties—conventional and organic. The same for a batch of heirloom cranberry beans: Creamy and velvety, they’re in a different league than their canned peers. Flavor is the power and appeal of heirloom varieties. They’re unparalleled.

While research is limited, some farmers and food experts believe heritage foods have greater nutrient densities due to their purity. This belief is bolstered by studies that the nutritional values of many crops today—conventional and organic—are significantly declining due to the effects of mass production and toxic chemical use.

Heirloom varieties also present a beacon of truth in a food system that puts profits over purpose and health. They tend to come from independent farms, (it’s rarer to find mass-scale farms growing heirlooms), which means purchasing them is an act of supporting small and local food businesses.

And we have to say, there’s a romance to heirloom foods. Maintaining the integrity of an heirloom variety requires a specific set of attention that often leads to yields that are much smaller than those of other varieties. This evokes a greater appreciation and invitation to slow down: When you’re eating an heirloom tomato, for example, you’re eating a story and it needs to be savored.

Sourcing Tips

Not all heirloom varieties are certified organic. This is why when sourcing heirloom varieties, it’s important to get to know your farmer or purveyor to ask them questions about the conditions in which they grow their foods. You’re likely to find the widest variety of local heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and legumes at your local farmers’ market. Scope them out and ask about the heritage of the seed, the growing conditions, and what makes that particular heirloom variety special. You’ll likely end up learning a ton about nutrients, flavors, and farming history.

A few excellent resources on heirloom foods include:

Edible Memory by Jennifer A. Jordan

Heirloom Seeds by Amna Fadel

Directions

For Dough:

Place sieved flour in a mixing bowl and whisk in salt and lemon zest.

Using your hands or a pastry cutter, mix in coconut oil until it reaches the texture of sand.

In a small bowl, whisk egg with honey (it helps if honey is warm) until mostly combined.

Pour wet mixture into dry mix and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. It should be thick but not too sticky to handle. Add a tablespoon of water if too dry.

Wrap tightly and refrigerate while you prep the pesto. (You can also make the dough in advance and freeze.)

For Pesto:

Blanch stinging nettle for 20-30 seconds, drain and, when cool, gently squeeze water out and remove stems. Freeze stems for future use (they’re great to use in smoothies).

Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until golden (approximately 3-5 minutes).

Add nettle and basil into a blender or food processor and pulse until well combined.

Add olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and continue to pulse until combined. Add more olive oil as desired; I made this recipe thicker with less oil, so it would be a sturdier base for the tomatoes.

Add pine nuts to food processor and pulse until fine. Add additional salt to taste.

For Tarte:

Slice cherry tomatoes in half, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and place on a clean dish towel cut side down to draw out some of the moisture.

Roll out dough between parchment paper until roughly ⅓-inch thick.

Spread pesto around the middle of the dough (approximately ¼-inch thickness), leaving roughly 2 inches of perimeter without pesto.

Add tomatoes, cut sides up, on top of pesto.

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit / 190 degrees Celsius.

Using the underside of the parchment to help, fold the edges of the tarte up until it touches the layer of pesto and tomatoes.

Place on baking sheet and pop in the refrigerator until oven is preheated (this step is optional).

Place in the middle rack of the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Allow tarte to cool on the pan, add torn basil to top, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Original recipe by The Compliant Cook.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Heirloom Foods

Heirloom Cherry Tomato Tarte with Nettle Basil Pesto

Directions