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Tomatoes

​A sun-ripened, fresh-off-the-vine tomato tastes just like summer. The bright flavour and firm texture are fleeting, so be sure to preserve your tomatoes while they’re ripe to enjoy their taste all winter long.

Optimal Storage

  • Do not wash until ready to use.
  • Store fresh tomatoes on the counter away from direct sunlight, with the stem end up. (Storing on their sides can cause bruising.)
  • Refrigeration can cause loss of sweetness and texture, but it can add a few days of life if a tomato is nearing overripe. If refrigerating, store in a breathable container in the low humidity drawer. Let come to room temperature before eating for the best flavour.
  • Cut tomatoes should be refrigerated.

 

Freezing

Whole Tomatoes

Frozen whole tomatoes won’t have a great texture when defrosted, but their flavour shines in a sauce, salsa, or soup.

  1. Whole tomatoes, raw or cooked, can be frozen on an airtight container (e.g. zip top bag).
  2. Once they have thawed, the skins can be pulled off easily.

Tomato Products

  • Tomato juice, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, and any tomato products such as salsa or sauce will freeze well.

Root to Fruit

Removing the Core

Use a paring knife to cut a cone shape around the tomato core. This technique removes the core while preserving the most fruit.

Revival

Ripen Green Tomatoes

To ripen green tomatoes, put them in a paper bag with a piece of ripe fruit.

Cracked Tomatoes

Cut out and discard the cracked portion of the tomato and enjoy the rest.

Bruised

Simply cut out the bruises and eat the rest of the tomato as normal.

When they go bad, tomatoes start leaking liquid. If their skins develop black spots that are obviously not dirt or blemishes, your tomatoes have begun to mold and it’s time to chuck them.

Overripe

There are many ways to use summer’s red beauties even when they’ve lost their firmness. Try them in a sauce, vinaigrette, savoury tomato jam, soup, salsa, or frittata.