Harvest of the Month: Tomatoes
The tomato seems pretty simple, but, in many ways, it simply isn’t what it seems.
For example, most of us accept that the tomato technically is a fruit, but we might not expect to learn that it’s considered a berry. And although we know it comes in a variety of colors, we could be surprised that
it was a yellow tomato from South America that initially captured Europe’s attention. In fact, Pomodoro, the Italian word for tomato, translates to “golden apple.”
But the most surprising fact might be that, a few hundred years ago, Europeans considered the tomato to be poisonous. A number of factors contributed to this belief – from the fact that the acid in tomatoes heightened the danger of lead poisoning contracted from eating off of pewter plates to inaccurate medical research – but it persisted long enough to make its way with early settlers to North America, where the tomato was known as the “poison apple.”
Needless to say, we resolved those fears and now recognize the tomato as a healthy part of our diet, packed with vitamins and agents that help to address problems like heart disease and cancer. Adding to the tomato’s popularity is the fact that it is tasty, readily available and easy to use. But that leads to one more tidbit some will find surprising: Tomatoes should never be stored in the refrigerator. Instead, keep them stem-side down (to protect against moisture and bacteria) at room temperature. Kept that way, a fresh tomato will stay good for about a week.
Try September’s Recipe: Vera Cruz Tomatoes