Heirloom vegetables are enjoying a renaissance with dedicated gardeners and food fanatics. No, it's not a carrot that's been stowed in your grandmother's attic.
Heirlooms are old varieties of vegetables that have survived through decades, or even centuries.
Tastes Like . . . Heirloom vegetables are the antithesis of the commercially farmed hybrid vegetables you find in the grocery store. Most produce that is farmed on a large scale has been bred to be the same color, shape, and size, as well as firm enough to stand up to mechanized picking and shipping. Unfortunately, these commercial vegetables have often had all of their flavor and texture bred right out of them at the same time. The trend that has been passionately nudging heirloom vegetables back into the spotlight is a trend towards rediscovering the beauty of variety and the rapture of flavorful produce.