Jump to content
GreaseSpot Cafe

Grocery store tomatoes


kimberly
 Share

Recommended Posts

Living here in the sunny south we take an extreme pride in growing tomatoes. It is a religion. Tomatoes are the number one home grown vegetable in the good ole USA.

Tomatoes out of season where you live? Your only recourse is buying one in the grocery store? All of us know they do not taste the same as the home grown maters.

Try this................

Select only ripe, red tomatoes. DO NOT refrigerate them. When I bring them home from the store I let them sit in my window sill for a couple of days. Peel off the skin. Slice and put in a collander. Sprinkle one side with kosher salt, turn over and sprinkle the other side. Let them sit and "sweat" in the collander for 10 to 30 minutes.

There is something about the salt (they only need a tad) that brings out that delicious tomato flavor. It is not quite the same as home grown flavor but it is greatly enhanced.

The same can be done for cucumbers. Ever had a bitter cucumber? This process will take out the bitterness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reason that store bought tomatoes do not taste like home grown variety is because they are picked GREEN, and then they are GASSED, which the chemicals that are used in the GAS react with the skin of the tomatoe and BLUSH them. This is done for a longer shelf life and time to get to the store for purchase. You should always let store bought tomatoes sit outside of the fridge for a couple of days or even a week, if need be, before attempting to eat them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kimberly,

I live in the Sunny South (the Memphis area) as well but unfortunately many around here will buy those abominations passed off as 'tomatoes" in supermarkets. Thanks for the information. I've heard that placing the degenerate "tomatoes" in a brown paper bag may help but only if they are at all green. But ahh! the pure epicurean delight of a truly sun ripened tomato picked fresh off the vine at its height of ripeness. I'm counting the days until I can get my hands on a true fresh vine ripened Southern tomato.

sudo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good eating is on the way. I was holding holiness in my hands as I kissed and then placed each precious tenderling in the ground. Yum, the plant even smells like a tomato. I had visions of tomato sandwiches dancing in my head. I gave thanks to Father God for each one. I know he truly loves me because He created tomatoes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm lucky. We have an old fashioned produce store here. They grow tomatoes year round in their greenhouses, and they're as good in the dead of winter as in the summer. I buy all my seed from them when I'm getting ready to plant my spring garden. My gorgeous 'maters are flowering already!!! I can't wait!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Kimberly,

I live in the Sunny South (the Memphis area) as well but unfortunately many around here will buy those abominations passed off as 'tomatoes" in supermarkets. Thanks for the information. I've heard that placing the degenerate "tomatoes" in a brown paper bag may help but only if they are at all green. But ahh! the pure epicurean delight of a truly sun ripened tomato picked fresh off the vine at its height of ripeness. I'm counting the days until I can get my hands on a true fresh vine ripened Southern tomato.

sudo

Put a banana in the bag with the tomatoes and that will improve the process. Bananas give off a gas that speeds ripening and is the source of the gas BrideofJC was referring to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kimberly,

Actually the gas is ethylene.. or ethylene oxide... (Click HERE!)I'm not going to quibble but its not the same as intestinal gas. If it were, I can imagine the routine that we'd be going through to ripen the green tomatoes.

sudo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kimberly,

Actually the gas is ethylene.. or ethylene oxide... (Click HERE!)I'm not going to quibble but its not the same as intestinal gas. If it were, I can imagine the routine that we'd be going through to ripen the green tomatoes.

sudo

Would it involve setting the paper bag on fire? :evildenk:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kimberly,

Actually the gas is ethylene.. or ethylene oxide... (Click HERE!)I'm not going to quibble but its not the same as intestinal gas. If it were, I can imagine the routine that we'd be going through to ripen the green tomatoes.

sudo

I think I liked Kimberly's version better. Methane is much more readily available and fun to emit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Put a banana in the bag with the tomatoes and that will improve the process. Bananas give off a gas that speeds ripening and is the source of the gas BrideofJC was referring to.

Interesting, the bit about bananas. I grow LOTS of them in Senegal and my boys put them in the old cement bags to ripen them more quickly...

Now Chief Bumpy understands why! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...