Tomatoes are Red and Tasty
by Anita Treso on Mar 15, 2009 with 0 Comments
Tomatoes are so common in everyday foods, it’s easy to forget the wonderful flavours and varieties that fresh tomatoes come in. Taste the freshness.
Tomatoes can come in all shapes and sizes and in some different colours too! We are all familiar with the red varieties, but now you can buy green tomatoes (and now green tomato ketchup), yellow tomatoes and even purple tomatoes! These have been developed by scientists in the UK to fight cancer as they are very high in antioxidant pigment.
The health benefits of tomatoes have been known for a long time and are an important component of the Mediterranean diet. They are useful sources of Vitamin C and E, potassium and beta carotene which the body converts into Vitamin A. Lycopene, the pigment which gives tomatoes their red colour has been found to have cancer fighting properties, especially when eaten with oils, such as olive oil. However, tomatoes are not for everyone and some susceptible people experience allergies or eczema.
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Varieties of tomato include sweet cherry, Italian plum, round slicing tomatoes, large beefsteak and vine cherry. My favourite has to be the sweet Pomodorino, which are baby plum tomatoes and look a little like peppers. Full of flavour and a fresh taste they are perfect for breakfast with bread and cheese or pâté or in a salad. If you prefer a sweet tasting tomato try the yellow cherry tomatoes. These are so full of flavour you can snack on them all day.
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The best way to appreciate the tomato’s full flavour is to prepare it in the Mediterranean way. Chop or slice your choice of tomato, add a dash of virgin olive oil (green olive oil has more flavour) and tear some fresh basil leaves onto the tomatoes, you can also add some finely chopped onion and/or peppers for a fuller taste. Eat with bread, cold meats, fish or cheeses. Perfect for picnics and light lunches.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
Tomato plants are also easy to grow and if you are feeling green-fingered, now is the time to start thinking about seedlings. Tomato varieties can even be grown in hanging baskets or window boxes, so even if you don’t have a garden, you can pick your fresh ingredients from your window box! I grow mine in pots as my garden is tiny.
Give it a try – the flavour from your own grown tomatoes is out of this world!
Image via Wikipedia
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Published in: Cooking
