INTRODUCTION

Next to onions tomatoes are one of the most important fresh ingredients in

the kitchen. Tomatoes are assuredly among every keen cook’s favorite

ingredients. Whether fresh, canned, bottled or sun dried, they are always

essential, adding their sweet distinctive flavor to salads, soups, sauces and a

huge range of delicious vegetable, meat & pasta dishes. In Mediterranean

countries today, tomatoes, along with garlic & olive oil, form the basis of so

many meals that its hard to find any recipes in which they do not appear.

Although eaten as a savory food, tomatoes are in fact a fruit. Related to

potatoes, aborigines & sweet potatoes the tomato plant also belong to the

same family that contains the deadly nightshade, which explains why

tomatoes were treated with such suspicion when they first arrived in

Europe. Indeed the leaves of tomato are toxic and can result in very bad

stomachaches

HISTORY

The genus name of the tomato, Lycopersicon, means "wolf peach". This

name arose from the belief in most of the rest of Europe that the tomato, a

member of the nightshade family, was poisonous.

Tomatoes are native to western South America. By the time of Spanish

invasions in the sixteenth century, they were widely cultivated throughout

the whole of South America and Mexico. Hernan Cortes, conqueror of

Aztecs, sent the first tomato plants, a yellow variety to Spain. English

horticulturists mostly grew them as ornamental plants to adorn their

gardens and had little positive to say about them as food. Spain is regarded

as the first country to use tomatoes in cooking, stewing them with oil and

seasoning. Italy followed suit. The first red tomatoes arrived in Europe in the

eighteenth century, brought to Italy by two Jewish priests. They were

gradually accepted in Northern Europe where, by the mid nineteenth

century, they were grown extensively, eaten raw, cooked or used for pickles.

WHAT ARE THE NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTHFUL VALUES

OF TOMATOES?

Nutrition

One medium fresh tomato provides 47% of the recommended daily

allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, and 22% of the RDA of vitamin A.

Serving Size: 1 cup (180)g

Calories: 35

Fat: 1 g

Protein: 2g

Carbohydrate: 8g

Sodium: 15 mg

Cholesterol: 0g

Health Benefits

Recent scientific studies suggest that eating cooked tomatoes reduce one's

likelihood of suffering from cholesterol-related heart problems and digestive

tract cancers. Why cooked tomatoes? Cooking tomatoes releases lycopene,

a strong antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red color. Lycopene helps

release free radicals from the body (free radicals are unstable oxygen

molecules that have been implicated in several types of cancers and heart

disease). Lycopene also may help prevent the oxidation of low-density

lipoproteins, a form of cholesterol carrier in the blood that is thought to be

a cause of heart disease.

TOMATOES MAY HELP REDUCE CANCER RISK

In December 1995, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published

the results of a study conducted by Harvard University researchers, which

showed an association between consuming a diet rich in tomato-based

foods and a decreased risk of prostate cancer. The researchers surveyed the

eating habits of over 47,000 men between the ages of 40-75 for six years

and found that the consumption of tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice

and pizza was associated with a reduced risk for developing prostate

cancer. Researchers theorize that lycopene, an antioxidant nutrient found in

large amounts in tomatoes, may be responsible for this possible protective

effect.

Nutritionists and other health professionals have long advocated the cancer

preventative benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables. The findings of

the Harvard research study support this recommendation and suggest that

tomato-based foods may be especially beneficial regarding prostate cancer

risk. Of course, cancer risk is due to many factors and diet is only one of

them. At this point it is too early to conclude that any one food can prevent

cancer.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE TOMATO

Over the years many myths have stemmed from the tomato vine. Among

them is

MYTH: The tomato is poisonous.

FACT: The tomato is, in fact, perfectly harmless, and mighty tasty as well.

This myth originated when people noticed that the tomato is related to the

nightshade, a wild plant with toxic berries.

MYTH: Tomatoes are vegetables.

FACT: Tomatoes are not vegetables- they are fruit. A fruit is defined as the

mature ovary of an angiosperm, meaning that is develops from the

reproductive structures of an angiosperm (flowering plant). The fruits

themselves are fleshy bodies containing seeds. Tomatoes meet all these

criteria. There is no scientific definition for vegetable; however, vegetable

range from taproots (such as the carrot) to tubers (the potato) to stems

(asparagus).

MYTH: All tomatoes are red when ripe.

FACT: There are myriad varieties of tomato, and not all of them are red

when ripe. Tomatoes run from yellow to deep purple in color. For example,

the Lemon Boy variety is yellow, and the Cherokee Purple is, well, purple.

GROWING OF TOMATOES

Location:

Chose your garden site carefully. Avoid microclimates that may be too cold

at night or too hot during the day. The ideal garden for tomatoes receives

full sun most of the day, is protected from the wind, has well-amended soil

and is near a convenient water source.

Raised beds are a good place to grow tomatoes. They require fewer

pathways, leaving more space for growing. This method of gardening

requires less fertilizer and compost and the soil doesn't become compacted

from being frequently stepped on.

Tomatoes also do well as container plants but will require more frequent

watering.

Soil:

Tomatoes need rich, well-drained soil. The soil should be amended with

organic matter, compost or a tilled-in cover crop such as rye, wheat, oats, or

hairy vetch before planting season. A complete fertilizer that is not too high

in nitrogen should also be added prior to planting. Too much nitrogen will

produce large plants but few tomatoes.

If you have grown tomatoes before, rotate your new crop to a spot where

they have not been planted in at least the last four years.

Tomatoes are probably the most widely grown of all vegetables. Even

people without a garden manage to grow a plant or two on a balcony or a

patio. One reason for this is that tomatoes are relatively easy to grow.

Tomatoes can either be grown on cordons (upright plants) or as bushes. It is

well worth not only growing your particular favorite varieties each year, but

also experimenting with atleast on new one. Tomatoes are half-hardy and

can be grown under glass or outside. Earlier and later crops, as well as

heavier ones, are obtained under glass, but outside crops often taste better,

particularly if summer has been hot and the fruit has ripened well.

Cultivation: If you are growing under glass, sow the seed in mid-spring

in a very gentle heat or an unheated greenhouse. An earlier start can be

made in a heated green house to obtain earlier crops. As soon as they are

big enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots. When the

plants are large enough, transfer them to growing bags, larger pots or a

greenhouse border. (The soil will need changing, preferably every year, if

tomatoes are planted directly into a border.) Arrange some form of support,

such as strings or canes, for the tomatoes to be tied to as they grow.

Remove any side shoot as they appear. Keep well watered and feed every

ten days with a high potash liquid fertilizer once the fruits begin to swell.

Pinch the top of plant when it reaches the glass.

INDOORS

Sowing time: early to mid spring

Planting Time: mid to late spring

Planting & sowing distance: 45cm/18inch

Harvesting: summer onwards

For cordons grown outdoors, the same procedure as above is followed,

except that plants are hardened off before being planted out, which should

not be until after the last of the frosts. They should be in an open, sunny

position and a fertile soil. Bush forms are treated in the same way, except

that there is no need to remove the side shoots. They will also benefit from

straw mulch to keep the fruit off the soil. The end of the season usually

comes usually before all fruit has ripened. Either use them in recipes that

call for unripe tomatoes or dig up the whole cordon or bush and hang it

upside down in a greenhouse or frost free shed so that the last ones ripen.

Alternatively, cut down the plant, from its support, lay it on a bed of straw

and cover with a cloche.

OUTDOOR

Sowing time: inside mid spring

Planting time: early summer

Planting distance (cordon): 45cm/18inch

Planting distance (bush): 60cm/24inch

Distance between sown rows: 75cm/30inch

Harvesting: late summer onwards

Harvesting: Pick the tomatoes as they ripen, which will usually be when

they turn red. At this stage they will come away, bringing a short piece of

stem, simply by twisting them. Wrap the green fruit individually in

newspaper and store in a cool place (60° to 65° F). Unwrap and allow

ripening in a window as needed. Immature green tomatoes may be

harvested and used for frying or making jams relishes or pickles.

Once the tomato plants have become established, there is little else to do

but sit back and relax, open your cookbook and begin planning what to do

with the harvest.

Pests & Diseases: Tomatoes are cursed with a number of pests and

diseases. Fortunately, they are generally not troublesome enough to deter

those who grow them. Pests include aphids, potato cysteelworm, and

whitefly and red spider mite. Diseases include tomato blight, grey mould,

potato mosaic virus, green back, tomato leaf mould and scald. Many

problems can be avoided by good ventilation. Uneven watering of the plant

often causes cracked fruit.

Selecting & Buying:

1. When buying from a supermarket or a green grocer, look at the leafy

green tops; the fresher they look the better.

2. For salads buy locally grown beefsteak or cherry tomatoes.

3. Plums tomatoes for rich sauces.

4. Over ripe tomatoes, where the skin has split and they seem to be

bursting with juice, are excellent in soups.

5. You should check for any sign of mould or decay as this can spoil the

dishes prepared.

6. Tomatoes sold on the vine have a fuller, sweeter flavor than loose

tomatoes.

Tomatoes are best eaten straight from the plant, although they will keep for

a few days. Keep tomatoes in a cool, dark place, but allow them to come up

to room temperature before eating. Paler tomatoes or those tinged with

green will redden if kept in a brown paper bag or in the salad drawer of the

fridge.

Whole tomatoes tend to develop a mushy texture if frozen and thawed. It’s

better to peel seeds and roughly chop tomatoes and then freeze.

Thoroughly defrost, then simply add to a recipe.

TOMATO VARITIES

Beefsteak Tomatoes: These are large pumpkins shaped tomatoes.

They have a good firm texture and a sweet, mellow flavor owing to their

low acidity and are best eaten raw in salads and sandwiches.

Brandywine is considered one of the best-flavored beefsteak tomatoes.

Cherry Tomatoes: These are small and dainty tomatoes

wonderfully sweet and are an excellent choice in salads or for cooking

whole. There are varieties of cherry tomatoes in reds, yellows and

oranges.

Plum Tomatoes: These are richly flavored with fewer seeds than

round tomatoes. They are considered best in cooking, owing to their high

acidity and concentrated flavor.

Like cherry tomatoes plum tomatoes are available in all sizes and colors;

reds, however, are best for soups and sauces.

Yellow Tomatoes: Yellow Canary and Yellow Pear are among the

better known yellow tomatoes. They have a sweet, mild flavor, with

lower acidity than red tomatoes, and are best used in salads or pickles.

Green Tomatoes: Green, unripened tomatoes have traditionally

been used for relishes and chutneys. There are also tomatoes that are

green when ripe. Green Grape a variety of cherry tomato has a

green/yellow skin and a bright green flesh and is quite delicious in

salads.

PINK DYNASTY NOJOMI

GOLD DYNASTY SUN CHERRY

ROMA SAUSAGE

GRAPE AMISH PASTE

AUNT GINNYS GOLDIE

Mr.STRIPEY

YELLOW PEAR VALENCIA

Tomatoes: Peeling, seeding and dicing... Called "Concasse" in

classical cooking, peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes are used for 1,001

purposes in the kitchen. Here's the best way to get them ready.

Make an "X" on the bottom end of the tomato, cutting just slightly through

the skin.

Dip the tomato in boiling water for approximately 30 seconds (a tomato

that is less ripe may take a little longer). Immediately after, plunge the

tomato into an ice water bath.

Slip off the skin; it should be easy to remove. Cut the peeled tomato into

quarters. Using a slicing motion cut out the inside of the tomato. Remove

any stray seeds. Slice the seeded quarters into strips.

Cut the strips into the desired sized dice. It doesn't matter if your dice are

large or small as long as the pieces are uniformly sized.

PROCESSED TOMATOES

Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Sun dried tomatoes are available loose or

sold in olive oil in jars. They have a delicious intense flavor and are used

in cooking and in salads. Soak loose tomatoes in boiling water for about

15 minutes and then drain. Those in jars will keep for up to 1 yr.

Sun-Dried Tomato Puree: Used in sauces soups and dips when

wanted a sun-dried tomato flavor. Since the tomatoes are preserved in

oil the puree is fairly rich.

Canned Tomatoes: Tomatoes are one of the few fruits that can be

canned really successfully. They are excellent in tomato sauces for pastas

& pizzas

Sugocasa: For special occasions try Sugocasa instead of ordinary

canned tomatoes. Available in jars, the chopped plum tomatoes are

mixed with tomato puree, giving the tomatoes a richer, fuller flavor.

Ideal for pizza bases, sauces and stews.

Passata: Sometimes called creamed tomatoes, passata is made from

canned tomatoes that have been pureed and sieved to remove the skin

and seeds. Invaluable in recipes like soups where you want a smooth

result.

Tomato Puree: Tomato puree is available in canes (where it is

sometimes called paste) or in tubes. It adds a strong tomato flavor and

bright color to sauces and soups.

Use sparingly, as the flavor is very intense and will overwhelm other

ingredients. Once opened it should be stored in fridge. Tubes of puree

can be kept for upto 6 months. Canned puree will not keep more than a

week.

A FEW TOMATO DISHES

Soups and Starters: Whether for fresh summer Gazpacho or

creamy winter soups, tomatoes are everyone’s favorite soup ingredients.

For snack and starters too, tomato come tops, adding their fresh flavor

and wonderful color to all sorts of dishes.

Fresh Tomato Soup: Naturally sweet, sun ripened tomatoes are

the best choice for this delicious soup. Served with cheese croutes and

garnished with basil.

Gazpacho: Tomatoes and sweet peppers are the essential ingredients

in this classic Spanish cold soup.

Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup: This rich soup comes from

Northwest of America. Wonderful blend of flavors, the sweet sharp

quality of tomatoes harmonizing with the strong and savory taste of the

cheese.

Tomato and Garlic Bread: The combination of tomatoes and

garlic gives a wonderful Mediterranean flavors to the bread. Serve with

soups or with antipasti or tapas for a perfect snack.

Vegetables and Salad Dishes: Tomatoes are an essential part

of vegetable dishes. Give them a starring role in French-style tarts, or

use them in salads and vegetarian dishes for their delicious, healthy

taste.

Sun-dried Tomatoes with Onions: Rich sun-dried tomatoes

with rosemary and olive oil is a popular Tuscan combination and is a fine

compliment to sweet and tender baby onions.

Tomato and Basil Tart: This very simple yet extremely tasty tart,

partnering tomatoes with mozzarella cheese and basil.

Tomato Risotto: Plum tomatoes are used for this dish for their

fresh vibrant flavor and firm texture. Served sprinkled with shredded

basil and shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad: In this popular Italian salad the

three principal ingredients represents the color of the national flag. The

natural acidity of the tomatoes eliminates the need for vinegar or lemon

juice in the dressing.

Tomato and Feta Cheese Salad: Sweet sun dried tomatoes are

rarely more delicious than when served with feta cheese and olive oil.

Served as a light meal with warm bread.

Pasta Pizzas and Bread: A well-flavored tomato sauce is the

perfect partner for pasta, while pizzas simply would not be the same

without this fantastic fruit. Sun dried tomatoes also add a wonderful

dimension to breads and scones.

Tomato and Clam Linguine: Fresh or canned tomatoes are used

for this superb dish, both contrast very well with clams.

Cannelloni Al Forno: A classic Italian dish, the filled pasta tubes are

cooked in the ever popular Napoletana Sauce.

Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza: It may be the simplest, but this

great pizza with its tomato and cheese topping is still one of the best.

Barbecued Tomato Pizzettes: Unusual Pizzettes, made with

yellow cherry tomatoes.

Sun Dried Tomato Bread: Sun-Dried tomatoes have a wonderful

flavor, and, used in recipes, give an intense and evocative taste of

summer.

Salsas, Relishes and Chutneys: Country people have long known

the value of tomatoes in chutneys and relishes. Whether spiced up for

salsas or pickled for a rustic-style relish, tomatoes bring a taste of

summer just when you need it.

Bloody Mary Relish: This is a piquant salsa, combining tomatoes,

garlic, onions and a dash of vodka and Worcestershire sauce. Serve with

oysters for special occasions.

Chunky Cherry Tomato Salsa: Succulent Cherry tomatoes and

refreshing cucumber form the base of this delicious, dill-seasoned salsa.

Green Tomato Chutney: Unripened tomatoes are a culinary

success rather than a horticultural failure when transformed into this

tasty chutney, a perfect accompaniment to strong cheese and cold

cooked meats.