According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat more than 22 pounds of Tomatoes every year. More than half this amount is eaten in the form of ketchup and Tomato sauce.
The tomato is one of the most popular and versatile vegetables on the market today. It exists in countless varieties, but the most popular and best known tomato is the beefsteak tomato. Local growers feature special varieties that grow well and are popular in their areas. Tomatoes are available year round with peak supplies and highest quality from May through frost in local areas.
Tomatoes should be stored with stems up at room temperature - never in the refrigerator! Choose fully ripe tomatoes if you plan to use them in a day or two. To quickly ripen them, place them in a paper bag with an apple. To peel tomatoes, drop them into boiling water for ten seconds, then core, and the peel will slip off easily. There are endless ways to eat tomatoes: raw alone or in salads, cooked in soups, stews, sauces and in America's favorite condiments, Catsup and salsa. Although tomatoes are eaten in many ways, the best way is still vine-ripe straight from the garden!
1 raw:
- 24 Calories
- 1394 IU Vitamin A
- 22 mg. Vitamin C
- 1 g. Fiber
The origin of the tomato has been linked to Peru and Ecuador.
During the sixteenth century, explorers brought tomatoes to Europe from the fruit's birthplace, the New World. these first tomatoes were yellow, awarding the Italian name, "pomodoro," meaning golden apple.
Red tomatoes appeared later, compliments of two Jesuit priests returning from Mexico with red tomato seeds. Italians immediately accepted and included this strain of tomatoes in their cuisine.
Sun-dried tomatoes have a long history of use in the regional cuisine of the Mediterranean.
Tomatoes were originally sun-dried due to the absence of refrigeration, freezers and modern ovens. Drying tomatoes in the sun allowed for year round enjoyment of the harvest.
When they first appeared in English print in the early seventeenth century, tomatoes were referred to as "love apples."
The 1700's marked the beginning of tomato cultivation North America. Interestingly, this occurred only in home gardens. Tomatoes were introduced to Americans by Thomas Jefferson, who brought them back from France when he served as U.S. Ambassador.
During the nineteenth century, American cookbooks warned that tomatoes should be cooked for a minimum of three hours before eating to eliminate the raw taste. People were cautioned not to eat tomatoes raw because they were still suspected to be poisonous.
Once opened, a jar of sun-dried tomatoes can be sealed and refrigerated for up to one year. The oil congeals under refrigeration, but returns to its natural consistency at room temperature.
California sun-dried tomatoes are no longer considered a gourmet food. They have moved from the specialty food aisle to the popular produce section, next to the fresh tomatoes.
Oven drying causes the natural sugars to caramelize. This gives the tomato a brown appearance and slightly sweet taste.