The joy of the tomato
As we’re currently in the middle of British Tomato fortnight (24 May – 6 June) we thought it would be great to give a little nod to one of the nation’s favourite fruits.
Low in calories, yet rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K, the humble tomato has been linked to many health benefits and some believe they can help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. This may be one of the reasons why more tomatoes are grown and consumed globally than any other fruit, but, whatever the collective reason, there is no denying that there is some serious tomato love going on around the world.
So why do we love the tomato? For us, along with many caterers and chefs, it’s about taste and colour. The tomato is so easy to food pair and the bright red colour (of the red tomatoes obviously)is attractive to the eye and on the plate. It also comes in so many varieties making its versatility almost second to none (cheese would be up there on the list as well). Salad tomatoes, plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, green tomatoes… the list is endless. And many of these varieties have their own unique taste and use, which makes for even more culinary excitement in the Parties to Go kitchen.
So here are four of our favourite and our guide to taste, texture and what we use them for.
Red beefsteak tomatoes
Large, firm and incredibly meaty, this variety is flavoursome, mild and juicy. They are a firm favourite of ours with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh, sliced or torn mozzarella. Although they are equally as good in a burger or artisan sandwich.
Cherry tomatoes
Small in size and best when crisp to the bite, these sweet little gems appear in lots of our dishes. Great in all sorts of salads not only for taste but also for colour, they make great little canapés as well and are tremedous when roasted. A ten out of ten for us cooked or as they are.
Roma tomatoes
These full flavour fruits are meaty and have fewer seeds than some other varieties. We think they are one of the best tomatoes to make soups and sauces with due to their denser and grainier flesh. They are still good in salads and sandwiches though so don’t discount them when considering your side dishes.
Vine tomatoes
You’ll have a tasty and fabulous all-rounder with the vine tomato. They are firm, hearty and full of taste along with being sweet and juicy. Perfect whatever dish you are creating from jams and sauces to grilled with your breakfast. They also look beautiful and taste amazing if you roast them whilst still on the vine.
