Making the tomato taste better again

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I was reading something a few days ago when I came across an article on the humble tomato. It seems that is flavour had been bred out of it by growers looking for bigger tomatoes because they think people want bigger fruit and also a bigger tomato means more money when each tomato is picked by hand.

Researchers are now establishing what it is that makes a heritage tomato of 50 years ago or more, taste better than modern varieties and have started to breed those traits back in.

More can be found here http://www.dw.com/en/klee-we-can-make-much-better-flavored-tomatoes/a-37308397 (dated 30/01/2017)

 

[Kake Lover]

I didn't like tomatoes until I had them in a Greek salad in Crete, where they were sweeter. Now I buy myself baby plum tomatoes. Mr K prefers the cherry ones which aren't as sweet.

 

[Yorky]

Tomatoes here are not very tasty, however, a little sprinkling of sugar helps.

 

[Morning Glory]

I am a bit surprised by the article. The idea of tasteless tomatoes is an old one and dates from the Dutch mass greenhouse growing. These days, in UK supermarkets at least, tomatoes are really very good on the whole. There are lots of varieties sold on the vine, small tomatoes (which usually taste really good), plus other heritage varieties. The Orange Rapture tomatoes grown in Thanet and sold in Tesco's are sensational! See Gingered Prawns with Orange Rapture Sauce and Linguine

 

[classic33]

Used to go past Europes largest greenhouse growing tomato facility.

The tomato's varied from one end of the same greenhouse to the other. Same variety on each raised table, all hand picked. Ranging in size from forefinger & thumb size, upto fist size.

With some, you'd wonder what you were eating, if anything. Something in the mouth, but what without looking at the plate. Didn't keep as long either.

 

[Yorky]

It was many years ago but I did like those large crispy green Spanish tomatoes.

 

[Cinisajoy]

It was many years ago but I did like those large crispy green Spanish tomatoes.

Do you mean tomatillos?
Never had one but readily available here.
We usually do the small Roma tomatoes.

 

[classic33]

I am a bit surprised by the article. The idea of tasteless tomatoes is an old one and dates from the Dutch mass greenhouse growing. These days, in UK supermarkets at least, tomatoes are really very good on the whole. There are lots of varieties sold on the vine, small tomatoes (which usually taste really good), plus other heritage varieties. The Orange Rapture tomatoes grown in Thanet and sold in Tesco's are sensational!

Sold on the vine to make you think you're getting a better product. Also the vine adds to the weight(not much) and the waste the consumer has to get rid off. Not the growers.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

These days, in UK supermarkets at least, tomatoes are really very good on the whole

trust me, they are no where near as good as the ones here in Australia and they pale into the distance with home grown in Australia. It is just a different league with so many veg & fruits. Neither of us can believe the difference and we have grown a lot of stuff in the south of England (and as well as up north).

 

[toddhicks209]

If buying tomatoes for a low but reasonable price from a store that specializes in produce isn't your best option for getting delicious tomatoes, you can get good seeds and plant your own tomatoes, if you're good at it. My mom was good at planting tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and some herbs but when I tried growing tomatoes without her around, I flopped.

 

[classic33]

The major part of the problem is that we, as the buyer's of the final product, have been led to believe what we need.

Everything needs to be perfect, as the seller & producer see's perfect.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

If buying tomatoes for a low but reasonable price from a store that specializes in produce isn't your best option for getting delicious tomatoes, you can get good seeds and plant your own tomatoes, if you're good at it. My mom was good at planting tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and some herbs but when I tried growing tomatoes without her around, I flopped.

Most people assume that tomatoes like many other veg and fruit benefit from being grown in soil. They don't. They actually fruit the most when they ate deprived of certain nutrients. But that means they need daily feeding and watering of special food lacking nitrogen to prevent been growth. And there is a fundamental problem growing them in the UK. In anything but the south of England (so basically most of the UK), you need to grow them in a greenhouse or cold frame because of the warmth issues... it can be very difficult to get enough sunlight to ripen the fruit of the weather be warm enough long enough for the fruit to ripen. Plus they ate very prone to pests such as greenfly when grown in a greenhouse.

They are not an outdoor crop in the UK sadly which puts people off.

I used to grow them occasionally in the UK. I distinctly remember my grandfather growing them in the greenhouse in their garden before he got too old. It was a balancing act between watering them everyday and shading them from the little sunshine that did happen when it happened. The greenhouse would need to be kept closed up to stay warm for the fruit to ripen. Sometimes painted white if by chance we had a very hot summer, but the season to get ripe fruit is very short. The first frosts would happen in September and kerosene heaters would be lit in the greenhouse at night to try to extend the growing season. My Grannie would end up with lots of green tomatoes in cupboard drawers trying to ripen them.

Most people simply don't have the space for more than a plant or two and they often dry out and die very quickly.

It's easier here in Australia. In fact I have had to move them to share to prevent other issues with growing them outside, but in containers they still need watering everyday! They don't usually make it from the plant to the table though because they ate so sweet and juicy, not to mention warm from Sunshine which adds to their flavour.

 

[Elawin]

These days, in UK supermarkets at least, tomatoes are really very good on the whole.

The ones they sell in my local supermarkets are awful and watery. Not a patch on the organic ones I buy from the farm.

Can't grow my own any more; the mutt eats them