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Yes, even sushi at annual Tomato Festival
Historic Lewes Farmers Market event features some of top local chefs
The tomato is star of the show during the annual Tomato Festival at the Historic Lewes Farmers Market. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
August 17, 2019
Chefs from many of the top local restaurants, paired with local farms, offered samples of their creations Aug. 10 during the annual Historic Lewes Farmers Market Tomato Festival. The event attracts one of the largest crowds each year. If market-goers arrived after 10 a.m., they missed the varied and unique tomato recipes, including tomato sushi, yellow tomato whip and Southern Delaware tomato pie. Samples were devoured within a half hour.
The tomato is star of the show during the annual Tomato Festival at the Historic Lewes Farmers Market. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
Paired with Evans Farm Produce, Ted Deptula, LaVida Hospitality corporate chef, prepares yellow tomato whip. Restaurants in the group include Taco Reho food truck and Fork+Flask at Nage in Rehoboth Beach, Crooked Hammock Brewery in Lewes, Big Chill Surf Cantina in Rehoboth, and Big Chill Beach Club in Bethany Beach.
Dewey Beach Country Club chef Mark Schaeffer, third from left, gets help from volunteer Lori Mills and Jason and Ethan Orday as they put final touches on southern style tomato pie, paired with Parson Farm Produce.
As Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, left, and Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, look on, Rehoboth Beach restaurants a(MUSE) and Grandpa Mac Executive Chef Hari Cameron prepares Southern Delaware tomato pie, using produce from Heydt of Summer Farms.
Chef Oliva Kowalchick of Blue Moon Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, with help from Connor Winiarczyk, prepares roasted garlic focaccia with onion jam, heirloom tomatoes and feta cheese. The restaurant prepared samples at the Earth Harmony Produce stand.
Heirloom Executive Chef Matt Kern’s dish, paired with Totem Farms, consists of cherry tomatoes, whipped coriander yogurt, cucumbers, dill and toasted pinenut Dukkah. Heirloom is located in Lewes.
So-Del Concepts Corporate Pastry Chef Dru Tevis is busy placing samples of pizza biscuits with tomato herbs and cheese at Hatties Garden stand.
A unique tomato salsa-based drink is prepared by Fork+Flask at Nage Chef Dillon Walker, right, with help from Assistant General Manager Jessica Gimbudas. The Rehoboth Beach restaurant is paired with Baywater Farms. Added to the salsa is watermelon and peach.
Striper Bites Chef Drew Lopuski, paired with Anchor Nursery, prepares vegetable and tomato gazpacho with jalapeno cream. The restaurant is located in Lewes.
Kindle Restaurant Chef Ian Crandall and volunteer Betty Burleigh lay out samples of herbed ricotta tomato pizza. The Lewes restaurant was paired with Fifer Orchards.
Most tomato dish samples were consumed within a half hour.
There is no end to creativity in preparing tomato dishes, including tomato sushi offered by Striper Bites in Lewes.
Fish On in Lewes Chef Paul Rodriquez answers a question as farmers market volunteer Rosalind Johnson places samples of his creation, tomato poke bowl, on a table. The chef was paired with Dittman Family Farm.
LaVida Hospitality corporate chef Ted Deptula’s yellow tomato whip is among one of the most unique offerings.
Tomato poke, prepared by Fish On Chef Paul Rodriquez, comes with its own bowl.
Bright red cherry tomatoes are ready for the picking – and eating.
Tomato pie samples, prepared by a(MUSE) and Grandpa Mac Executive Chef Hari Cameron, go fast.
