Food By Franz

Ah, Tomatoes – Is there any better reward for gardening than a “right off the vine” tomato??? I know gardeners that walk out with a salt shaker to pick their tomato harvest, and by this time of year its a daily thing. By description tomato’s are a herbaceous plant, that we cultivate for its fruit…yes tomato’s are a fruit. The species is Solanaceae or nightshade family and can be very diversified. Did you know that there are approximately 7500 varieties??? Most cooks marvel at the diversity of varieties and the amazing variety of ways they can be used.

Thought to originate in South America. It is know that Aztecs and other peoples in the region used the fruit in their cooking; it was being cultivated in southern Mexico and probably other areas by 500BC.
Some believe that the Spanish explorer Cortez may have been the first to transfer the small yellow tomato to Europe after he captured the Aztec city of Tenochtítlan, now Mexico City in 1521. Yet others believe Christopher Columbus, an Italian working for the Spanish monarchy, was the first European to take back the tomato, earlier in 1493.

Tomatoes are easy to grow and known for outproducing a consumers need. There are a couple of choices basic to tomato growing..the first is determinate vs non-determinate. Determinate, or bush, types bear a full crop all at once and top off at a specific height; they are often good choices for container growing. Determinate types are preferred by commercial growers who wish to harvest a whole field at one time, or home growers interested in canning. Indeterminate varieties develop into vines that never top off and continue producing until killed by frost. Variety is your second basic – do you want a specific color, taste or firmness? Here there are two basic catagories – slicing vs paste tomatoes. Plum, Roma or smaller tomatoes that are slightly longer than round make for the best variety for making paste, ketchup, chili sauce.
Most home gardeners use non-determinate, slicing variety – usually grown for flavor. Visiting your local farmers market will give you a good visual of what varieties grow best in your area.

How many ways can tomatoes contribute to cooking???? Tomato’s are the basis for the mother sauce Pomodoro or simply tomato sauce. Italians love their Marinara sauce (tomatoes simmered with onion, garlic and spices) or as americans we call spaghetti sauce. In Mexican cooking they are essential to pico de gallo or salsa. In France, sauce tomate is a classic, according to Auguste Escoffier, consists of butter, salt belly of pork, flour, carrots, onions, bay leaves, thyme, tomato purée or fresh tomatoes, white stock, garlic, salt, sugar, and pepper.. To Americans, its the basis of “creole” sauce used in cajun cooking.

Home made marinara sauce is one of those tastes that cannot be reproduced commercially. Its like the difference between Salsa Fresca and bottled salsa. The natural goodness (vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene) that the tomato gives us makes it a very healthy addition to ones diet. Recommended for healthy hearts, the lycopene content is one of natures best antioxidants.

Tomato Toxicity: The plant (leaves and stems) as well as the unripe fruit of the tomato plant contain the poison Solanine. Solanine is toxic to humans and animals. The fresh fruit is harmless.

Interesting Tomato Facts:
The word tomato comes from a word in the Nahuatl (Aztec) language, tomatl.
The specific name, lycopersicum, means “wolf-peach”.
It is thought that the Pueblo people believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination.

Here’s handy kitchen type gadget – especially handy for those who have sensitive noses in the frig!