Brookside Farm – Profile

The farm was originally a nut tree orchard. The Toms sold almonds and walnuts to local bakeries (for 25 cents a pound!) Gradually the orchard gave way to a widening variety of produce. The farm eventually became profitable when they started selling at a number of farmers markets…

Dead Ripe – “It actually means something”

‘Tis the season of abundance and acute ripeness, as summer crops put all their remaining energy into their final fruits and seeds in one last attempt to be sown back into the earth. The farms themselves seem at their most beautiful, and the harvest months have a certain celebratory cheer about them, the true pleasure in a job well done…

Turning from Tomatoes & Toward the Persimmons to Come – Autumn 2009

We queried our farmers last week, just before the Autumnal Equinox on September 22nd, to get one last report as the tomato season comes to a close and to find out what is planned for the cooler months of fall.

Welling Tom of Brookside Farm had this to tell us:…

This Just In: Vitellone & Chanetrelles

Primarily raised on mother’s milk with some grass-feeding, the meat has been aging in our meat locker. Chef Canales has been tweaking the aging times, to find just the right balance between the delicate veal and the characteristic aged-meat flavors. Tonight we will be using the loins, and Friday we will be serving the rib eye. They will be on the menu as tagliata, served with braised Torpedo onions from Brookside Farms in Brentwood. These animals are fairly small, and there isn’t…

This Just In: Brookside Farm’s Flavor King pluots

As often as I come across a “perfect” piece of fruit, however, I rarely employ the philosophy of showcasing its perfection by serving it untouched; as Chef Paul Canales says, “the customer is not paying me to shop for them – I’m here to cook!” Only once or twice a year does a fruit come along that I feel is featured best by serving on its own, without setting it in a composed dessert context. That time has come…

Tomato Watch Week 16 – First Tomatoes

We received the following e-mail yesterday from Welling Tom of Brookside Farm in Brentwood: Yesterday (Sunday, July 12) we sold our first tomatoes of the year at the Montclair farmers’ market. It was only a couple weeks ago when we were still watering them, so these tomatoes (Early Girls) were still larger and more water-plumped than ideal, but they were not bad, and people at the farmers’ market have been…

Tomato Watch Week 11 – Brookside Farm

Anne Tom and Welling Tom of Brookside Farm in Brentwood stopped by this morning with a tomato update and some pictures of their San Marzano and Early Girl plants. Due to the recent cool weather, Welling estimates the tomatoes will be ready to go to market by mid-July…

From the Field – Brookside Farm comes to dinner & confirms spring

The Toms, owners of Brookside Farm came in for dinner yesterday after the Montclair farmers market. Ann Tom had taken pictures of their farm that she wanted to share but she wasn’t sure how to email them. So she brought along her camera & we uploaded them here….

Update from Brookside Farm – Spring 2009

Welling Tom of Brookside Farm in Brentwood reports the following:

1. What Are You Planting?

Welling Tom: We have been planting some new fruit trees: sour cherries, Blenheim apricots, Elberta peaches, “donut” peaches, Fuyu persimons, and apriums….

From the Field – Brookside Farm 1st Annual Harvest Party

The farm was originally a nut tree orchard. The Toms sold almonds and walnuts to local bakeries (for 25 cents a pound!) Gradually the orchard gave way to…