Tomato

There are many varieties, with different shapes and colors. The ways to prepare it, then, are endless.

Here are our tips for choosing them well, storing them in the best way, and preparing them as chefs do!

The tomato, fruit of the sun

The tomato is native of Central America and, in particular, Mexico. Having landed in Italy in the 16th century, it has remained there until today, quickly conquering the rest of Europe as well. Needing heat and sun to mature and become tasty, its season goes from August to September, when the fruits have taken full advantage of the summer heat. Of course, nowadays it is grown in greenhouses almost all year round, but it is difficult for tomatoes out of season to have the richness and taste of natural ones ...

ATTENTION: The leaves and branches of the tomato are toxic. It is forbidden to eat them and make them sprout!

Check out the recipe for Tomato Tarte Tatin

A concentrate of vitamins

Tomatoes are made up of 90% water, which is why they have a very low calorie rate (18 kcal per 100 g). It is very rich in minerals and vitamins: potassium, lycopene (an antioxidant pigment, excellent for fighting aging), vitamins A, C and E. To take advantage of all these properties the ideal is to eat it raw. Lycopene, however, has a greater presence in the cooked version.

How to choose them

How to be sure that a tomato will be tasty? There are no absolute rules, but there are 2 rules to follow to limit damage:

- Buy them in season! No tomatoes in November so ...

- Choose them ripe. Few fruits continue to ripen once harvested. A ripe tomato has a soft flesh but not too soft (in this case it is too ripe). The skin must be smooth, without blemishes, and must be intact, without cracks. For vine tomatoes, make sure all fruits are attached to the branch, which must be green and fresh.

The types of tomatoes

There are many varieties of tomatoes, here are the most famous:

Chilegini (pachino)

Well known and highly appreciated as an aperitif, they can be red, yellow or orange, oval or pear-shaped. They are also used as an appetizer, on bruschetta or to dress cold pasta.

San Marzano

Easy to recognize thanks to their elongated shape. They have a very fleshy pulp and are ideal for preparing sauces.

Green Tomatoes Very popular in the United States, they can be used to make pancakes and jam!

Ox heart

It's a old woman variety, which for a long time could not be found on the stalls of our markets, has fortunately returned to the fore.
They are very large, the skin is thin and they have no seeds.

How to store them

Tomatoes grow best in warm weather and ... should be stored the same way. No to tomatoes in the fridge (even if they would last longer), because being rich in water they risk becoming too cold and would lose their excellent taste. If stored in the dark, at room temperature, they safely last up to 4 days.