Ingredient of the Month: Summer Tomatoes

Written by Grace on in Ingredient of the Month

It’s summer, which can mean only one thing. OK, it could mean a number of things, but you know what I’m thinking about.

Summer tomatoes! 🍅 🍅 🍅

It’s hard to believe these haven’t been an Ingredient of the Month yet, but I’m embracing the obvious this July because summer tomatoes are just too darn delicious!

Whether you grow them or buy them at the farmers market, farm stand or grocery store, you need to make sure you use these precious red globes (because they’re not cheap) and they’re at their prime in these summer months.

Tell me more about summer tomatoes:

Let’s get one thing straight: Tomatoes are technically a fruit. But do I refer to them as a vegetable? Yes, I do. I can never fully get on the fruit bandwagon, but maybe that’s just me.

Tomatoes originated in South America, and they’re the red berry of their plants with green stems and rounded globes, full of seeds. They come in all shapes and sizes and colors with unique levels of sweetness, acidity and flavor.

Some of my favorites are red and yellow grape tomatoes, Better Boy and Purple Cherokee. We’re growing Better Boy, cherry, German Johnson and a few others I can’t remember this year, but they’re all tasty!

Where can I buy summer tomatoes:

Well, you can go back in time a few months and plant a tomato garden, or you can just head to your nearest farmers market or good grocery store to get some local beauties. True, fresh summer tomatoes are nothing like typical mealy grocery store tomatoes, so make sure you’re getting the good ones. They should be consistent in their color and not have spots or tears in them.

How do I store tomatoes:

Do not, I repeat, do not put summer tomatoes in the refrigerator. Summer tomatoes are meant to be how they are when they’re growing, warm and fresh and practically sun-kissed. I like to store mine in a bowl on the counter so I remember to eat them whether just popped into my mouth or cooked into something.

Now, if you slice part of a large tomato, I would store it in the fridge, but it won’t be as good so ideally you should just go ahead and eat the whole thing when you slice it!

 

How do I eat/cook with summer tomatoes:

Like I said, I love just popping fresh summer cherry or grape (or smaller) tomatoes into my mouth.

 

Another one of our favorite summer preparations is to slice some tomatoes (large and small) and top with olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, strips of basil and sea salt for a quick salad. You can also add garlic to the mix, let it sit and then use it for bruschetta topping on nice bread toasted with olive oil.

Here are some other killer summer tomato uses:

Also, check out this tomato-themed dinner we did one time!