Tomato Facts

Hints and Tips

As tomatoes are a sub-tropical fruit and dislike the cold, they should be stored at room temperature. Storing them in the fridge impairs natural ripening and flavour.
Remove tomatoes from their plastic bag or packaging and place them in the fruit bowl.
Over-ripe tomatoes will go soft even more quickly in the refrigerator.
Tomato pulp is very good for the skin. It refreshes, tones and aids circulation and will restore acidity to the face after cleansing. To make a tomato face pack, make a paste by mixing tomato pulp with yoghurt. Apply to the face and leave for 10-15 minutes, then wash off.
Tomato juice is an excellent hangover remedy.
Liberally applied tomato juice is also considered a sovereign remedy for counteracting the sulphurous stench of skunk spray, should you be unfortunate enough to come into contact with one of these beasts. Although this is unlikely to happen in Britain, you may come across a related problem, badger breath. Volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) are also responsible for most cases of bad breath - halitosis - when bacteria in the mouth break down food debris. Compounds in tomatoes convert VSCs into odourless sulphides. So skunk or badger, tomatoes could be the answer.
Natural herb partners for tomatoes are mint, parsley, basil and oregano.
To ripen home-grown tomatoes, place them in a paper bag with a ripe tomato and keep at room temperature.
Use under-ripe, green tomatoes for making chutney.
Use up over-ripe tomatoes to make soups or sauces which can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
To skin tomatoes, place them in a pan of boiling water for 15 seconds and the skins will then peel off easily.
The tomato's size should be a good guide to its culinary use. Large ones are good for stuffing and smaller ones for garnishing or using whole in salads.
Plum tomatoes of varying sizes are good for barbecues as their firm flesh keeps them on the skewer, rather than slipping off between the bars. How irritating can that be!
When selecting tomatoes for salads, look for firmness and a bright, unflawed skin. If tomatoes are soft they can be used for sauces.
There are two tests to tell if a tomato is fresh. One is the smell, which should be faintly aromatic and the other is that the calyx, the stalk leaves, should look fresh and green. Most of the tomato scent comes from the leaves and stem, rather than the fruit itself. This is why vine tomatoes have a stronger aroma.
Make your own 'sun-dried' tomatoes by sprinkling equal amounts of caster sugar and salt over halved tomatoes. Place them cut side up on a baking sheet and cook in the oven on a low heat for two and a half hours, until most of the liquid has dried out.