Market correspondent Gillian Ferguson catches up with chef de cuisine Jose Perez of MB Post in Manhattan Beach. Perez says he is using Munak Ranch tomatoes seven days a week in a halibut dish, sandwiches, and he pairs them with peaches in a salad. “The sweetness of the grilled peaches in-season and the acidity of tomatoes pairs so well. We use feta cheese, arugula, and a piece of bread that you always want with those juicy tomatoes in the summer.” He dresses with salt, vinegar, and oil. “We have the tomatoes speak for themselves.”
Victor Gomez has spent 17 years at Munak Ranch. Gomez says that with temperatures breaking 100 degrees in Paso Robles, the leaves of the new plants are helping to shade the fruit so they can ripen. Describing the sungold variety of tomatoes, Gomez says once the plants are a mature age, they will keep ripening. “They love the heat.”