Marmande tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) — one of France's best-known heirloom beefsteak varieties, grown by the Polène collective in Provence. The Marmande takes its name from the town of Marmande in Lot-et-Garonne, where it originated, but it is now cultivated across the south of France wherever the conditions suit it. These are large, irregularly shaped tomatoes with deep ribbing, a vivid red skin and a dense, meaty flesh that has less juice and fewer seeds than most varieties. The flavour balances sweetness and acidity without either dominating — a tomato that tastes like a tomato should. Polène is a collective of five farms in Provence, founded by Alexandre Ricaud in 2021 and built on the Ricaud family's three decades of market gardening in the Vaucluse. They use crop rotation, biological pest control and organic fertilisers rather than conventional pesticides. The Marmande variety suits their approach: it is a robust heritage tomato that develops genuine complexity when grown slowly in Provençal conditions. These tomatoes are picked just before full ripeness to survive transit — leave them at room temperature for two to three days and they will finish ripening with their full flavour intact. Producer: Polène (Alexandre Ricaud), Provence Ingredients: Marmande tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) Storage: Do not refrigerate until fully ripe. Leave at room temperature out of direct sunlight for two to three days to complete ripening. Once ripe, refrigerate and use within a few days.
