There is very little in the food world that’s worse than a December tomato. Pale, mealy, flavorless and sad, they are a defining example of everything that’s wrong with our food-shed and supply system. Is a December tomato worse than a Twinkie? Yes, because a Twinkie can not be blamed for being exactly what it is: you knew what you were getting when you unwrapped the package, friend. You’ve got no one to blame but yourself.

So why are tomatoes today so awful? And what can we do to find tomatoes like the ones we (maybe) remember from our childhoods?

Step one: Stop eating tomatoes in December. They’re a summer fruit. Suck it up and suffer the wait.

Step Two: Click this link to check out Erica Palan’s story on the Philly Post that talks about Barry Estabrook’s new book, Tomatoland, and the heirloom bounty of two local farmers markets–the new-ish Marathon Farm and Headhouse Square.