The tomato,
that time
at Mercato
We continuously discover new tastes and flavors, but the frequency of new food experiences decreases over time, and the meaningful ones tend to happen early in life. Fortunately, I experienced the most salient food experience of my life as an adult.
@ MERCATO
My journey of discovery began when I visited Mercato (market in Spanish), a healthy store that prides itself on sourcing fresh produce, natural ingredients, and exotic herbs, such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, tarragon, and more.
Mercato’s fresh flavors, on display
As I walked through the aisles, I came across a display of the most vibrant, candy-red tomatoes I’ve ever seen. They looked like they knew the importance of advertising and nailed the creative.
Infatuated by their beauty, I hovered over, picked up one of the silky-smooth fruits, and inhaled the heavenly aroma.
THE
TOMATO
I stood in the middle of Mercato, sniffing a tomato for a while, until finally I gave in and—like a vampire feeding on a victim—sunk my teeth deep into the perfectly plump and succulent flesh, squirting juices all over.
The tomato exploded with a myriad of flavors, reawakening my tastebuds and transporting me into a blissful trance, with angels playing harps in the background.
So this is what a tomato is supposed to taste like?!
I’ve smelled and tasted tomatoes before. In fact, I had so many tomatoes that I stopped paying attention to the small differences. Suffice it to say that I didn’t expect all of my senses. The bite even sounded divine.
I grabbed all the tomatoes I could hold and notified my wife that we were having seabass and Caprese salad for dinner, like we’ve never had them before!
Sea bass with cherry tomatoes, berries, herbs and olive oil in chunky tomato sauce from Mercato
Determined to find out more, I chatted with Eve, a lovely Mercato customer loyalty manager, who told me that all produce was supplied by local farms and the tomatoes were grown on a farm owned by Francesco, a renown tomato craftsman.
DISCOVERY
JOURNEY
Fast forward two months, and we were on our way to explore the farm that produced the best tomatoes me, my wife, our friends, and random people—whom I implored to try the tomatoes—had ever had.
I don’t usually go chasing fruit, but I love the experience of discovery, and I was more than curious about the tomatoes’ origin. So why not explore the foods that make me happy?
We found Francesco’s farm, a mere two-hour drive away, and booked a tour.=
A journey of food discovery exposes us to new stories, experiences, and memories. Mine began when the gates to the farm opened, revealing a seemingly endless sea of green lushness, adorned by red juicy marbles for as far as the eye could see.
We strolled through the vines, lost in the simplicity and beauty of nature, until we couldn’t see the tour group anymore and ended up getting genuinely lost.
Following the faint voices, we stumbled on an elderly man with the aura of a sommelier inspecting tomato twigs. He noticed us and the predicament we were in and waved us over. When we approached, he handed us a pair of plump, silky-smooth tomatoes, imploring us, with a slight Italian accent, to give them a try: “Tray-ya this-a.”.
One of Francesco’s freshly harvested (and deliciously eaten) tomatoes
And that’s how we met Francesco, the renown tomato craftsman and the Willy Wonka of our food discovery story.
He told us about his grandfather, who taught him everything he knew about farming, and how his family was forced to leave behind their family farm while fleeing the war. They settled in Florida, and Francesco took agricultural jobs to help his family save up for a new farm. He took this time as an opportunity to learn from other farmers and experiment with different techniques and methods to nurture the perfect tomato.
His family eventually saved up to buy farmland, and Francesco, who was 19 at the time, assumed the duties of the chief farmer.
Fast forward seventy years, and the farm employs over a hundred people and supplies stores like Mercato, within a hundred-mile radius.
THE CRAFT
Francesco’s method was simple: hard work.
He spent hours tending to his tomatoes, ensuring they were properly watered and fertilized. But his true secret—the one that set his tomatoes apart from all others—was his use of a special compost blend. He sourced all the ingredients locally, scrutinizing each element to make sure it was perfectly suited for the soil in his greenhouse, resulting in a nutrient-rich compost, ideal for his special tomatoes.
But Francesco’s special technique didn’t end there. He also developed a unique pruning method. By removing any unwanted growth, he enabled the plant to invest all of its energy in helping the tomatoes reach their fullest and juiciest potential.
Fruit of labor and dedication, by a craftsman and a master
As I watched Francesco tend to his tomatoes, I couldn’t help but marvel at the dedication and passion that went into his craft.
His fruit were the fruit of labor and love, attracting people from far beyond the confines of his farm.
I was among the fortunate ones to discover his fruit that day at Mercato, and the tomato was never the same after that.
I wish everyone could have at least one meaningful food experience. So go out and explore your local food. I’m sure there are plenty of delicious stories waiting to be discovered.
This blog is entirely fictional. It was created by a human brain, with the help of Ai.
— S.A. Cooper