Interesting discussion point - and I see all of the points being made. Whether it is because there is a relatively high concentration of relatively well educated people near me (the Research Triangle area - Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham) or not, there is a surprisingly high and growing interest in heirlooms here. One restaurant supplies their produce from their own farm - the plants that provide the produce is from seedlings I started, so I am influencing what people are subject to. Another restaurant works with me on the occasional special meal, and when they are not doing that, they are frantically trying to locate heirlooms tomatoes all summer long.
So, I think that your point, Glenn, is a good generalization, admitting that there are some pockets of hope out there (some higher levels of sophistication of taste?!). One thing for sure is that betting the bank on making a living selling heirloom tomatoes would not be wise. Way too many variables that can ruin things - even aside from ability to market (bugs, disease, weather, etc).
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Craig
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