The Ruby Jewels of Hanover: A Local Legend and a Recipe
by Fayeruz Regan 08.2021
Late summer means Hanover tomatoes spilling from baskets at the farmers’ market. It means tomato sandwiches on white bread with Duke’s mayonnaise, or if you’re lucky, a BLT. But what’s the big deal about Hanover tomatoes?
Store-bought tomatoes lack the tang and the deep red flesh of our own backyard crops, but Hanover tomatoes can even take our backyard varieties up a notch. They contain an extra sweetness that’s hard to emulate. What makes Hanover tomatoes taste so special? According to the farmers, it’s the soil.
The soil in Hanover is coastal and rich in sand, which creates an ideal pH for growing tomatoes. In a state known for its red clay, much of Virginia’s soil has poor drainage. This makes for less-than-ideal growing conditions for tomatoes. Hanover has a little clay mixed in with the sand and rich loamy soil, making the perfect storm of nutrients. And while this type of soil may be found in other parts of the country, or even the state, the juicy crops from Hanover are a sure thing that Virginians look forward to every late summer.
And yet, many naysayers claim that the Hanover tomato phenomenon is a result of clever marketing. The Dodd family had a lot to do with making the Hanover tomato what it is today. They spent 150 years farming on the same 500 acres with an average of 250,000 tomato plants annually. Robert and Jane Dodd were the fifth and final generation to carry on the family tradition. Robert Dodd was the family patriarch, and when he died, they decided to dissolve the family business. One of their employees was Rosa Nunez. Prior to coming to Dodd’s farm, she left Mexico for a new life in California, working as an agricultural laborer. A relative persuaded to give the Richmond region a try, where she found work on the Dodd family farm.
Nunez and her family were treated well by the Dodds. Within two years, she was running their packing warehouse and greenhouses, while her husband was field supervisor and Dodd’s second-in-command. When the Dodd’s dissolved their business, the Nunez family secured 135 acres of land that had been rented to the Dodd family. Their expertise and deep connection to the community helped them carry on the tradition. Today Rosa’s Garden serves as an immigrant success story and a testament to the lure of the Hanover tomato.
There’s a strong belief that the best tomatoes in the country come from New Jersey. After all, it is the Garden State and I can personally attest to the quality of farm stand tomatoes en route to the Jersey shore. But do they hold up to a Hanover tomato? Joe Sparatta is the chef and owner of Richmond’s Southbound, and told Southern Living, “I'm from New Jersey – born and raised – and people say the best [tomatoes] in the country come from NJ," Sparatta says. "After being here in Virginia for the last ten years, I absolutely believe the best tomatoes do come from Hanover County.”
On that note, here’s my favorite recipe for fried green Hanover tomatoes:
Ingredients:
2 green Hanover tomatoes
1 cup white flour
3 eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko
a pinch of onion powder
a pinch of garlic powder
salt and pepper
½ cup of drained pickled pepperoncini peppers
4 oz feta cheese
a dollop of yogurt
1 squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
Slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick
Drag slices though white flour, then dip into the beaten egg wash
Dip the slices into the final batter. For the batter, mix the breadcrumbs, panko and dry spices.
Lay the slices in a frying pan filled with vegetable oil, and fry for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Remove from oil to cool on a paper towel-covered plate.
For the topping, pulse drained pepperoncini peppers with feta, yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the topping onto the fried green tomatoes and serve while hot.