Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
they have no flavor.

Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
the supermarket?

William

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 07:18:29 -0500, William >
wrote:

>I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
>field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
>were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
>house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
>piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
>flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
>someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
>developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
>they have no flavor.
>
>Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>the supermarket?

Smell their butts. Really. There should be a strong tomato odor
emanating from the bottom of the tomato. If I can't smell tomatoes
before I get to the bin, I don't bother. [and I don't bother often in
NY supermarkets]

I grow mine in the summer. Will buy some from the farmers when theirs
come in earlier than mine.

I've bought Campari in the winter-- and those Brown ones whose name I
forget.

But in general the taste has been bred out of commercial tomatoes in
favor of pretty, sturdy, and long lasting red orbs.

Canned has more flavor in the winter.

Jim

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 07:18:29 -0500, William >
wrote:

>I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
>field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
>were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
>house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
>piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
>flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
>someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
>developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
>they have no flavor.
>
>Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>the supermarket?
>
>William

I read somewhere that via selective breeding of tomatoes that redden
evenly and completelty superficially ripen (appearence-wise)
geneticallly, that these particular genetically selected tomatoes also
have little to no flavor.

Form over substance. That's the Amnerican Way! :-(

John Kuthe...

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

"William" > wrote in message
...
>I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
> field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
> were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
> house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
> piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
> flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
> someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
> developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
> they have no flavor.
>
> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
> the supermarket?

Same thing happened when I tried growing them. Sorry. Wish I had an answer
for yaw.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

William wrote:

> I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
> field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
> were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
> house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
> piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
> flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
> someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
> developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
> they have no flavor.
>
> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
> the supermarket?

Here the only tasty ones are "datterini", little tomatoes which grow in
clusters like grapes:
http://www.finagricola.it/finag-i/pr...-pom-datt.aspx
I don't know hwy, maybe this cultivar is cheap and quick enough to grow,
shelf stable enough to market, and thank goodness has taste
--
"Un pasto senza vino e' come un giorno senza sole"
Anthelme Brillat Savarin

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

"ViLco" > wrote:
-snip-
>
>Here the only tasty ones are "datterini", little tomatoes which grow in
>clusters like grapes:
>http://www.finagricola.it/finag-i/pr...-pom-datt.aspx
>I don't know hwy, maybe this cultivar is cheap and quick enough to grow,
>shelf stable enough to market, and thank goodness has taste

Here we have a tomato about that size and shape that isn't bad. Santa
Sweets is the brand I grab when I'm really desperate for a fresh sort
of tomatoey flavor.

The ones we get most often in my part of NY are grown in hydroponic
greenhouses another couple hundred miles north. [Campari- Kumato- and
Santa Sweets]

Jim

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:02:01 GMT, "l not -l" > wrote:

>
>On 30-Nov-2012, William > wrote:
>
>> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>> the supermarket?
>The grocery stores I visit all offer large heirloom varieties that are
>very tasty; but, they are often scarred, have a short shelf-life and are
>about 4 times the cost of tasteless Florida tomatoes. Basically, they
>are not pretty; but, it's worth the cost when the tomato is the star,
>not a bit player; they are especially good in BLTs. In addition to
>read, there are very dark green and yellow varieties - the yellow being
>lower in acid. I use Roma/plum tomatoes in salads. Occasionally I
>find beefsteak tomatoes, but are inconsistent in quality.
I find the really large tomatoes hard to grow, blemish-free, around
here. The weight of the fruit means the tomato forms ridges to
support it and they can split easily. That's just their nature.
Janet US

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

William > wrote:
>
>Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>the supermarket?

Canned.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 07:18:29 -0500, William >
wrote:

>I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
>field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
>were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
>house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
>piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
>flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
>someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
>developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
>they have no flavor.
>
>Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>the supermarket?
>
>William

At the supermarket? No. If you can patronize a well-run farmer's
market during the season in which tomatoes are ripening locally, you
will generally find something that tastes much better. Better still,
you can try several varieties and then continue to buy the one you
like from the farmer. If you have the time and space, grow them
yourself; selecting either the varieties you liked from the farmer's
market or something from a catalog. You can get a respectable crop
from something like the "earthbox".

There is no reason to hope for a tasty tomato our of season.

-bs

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "William" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
> > field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
> > were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
> > house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
> > piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
> > flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
> > someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
> > developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
> > they have no flavor.
> >
> > Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
> > the supermarket?
>
> Same thing happened when I tried growing them. Sorry. Wish I had an answer
> for yaw.

Are you saying that you grew your own tomatoes and they were tasteless,
Julie? That's bullhockey and you just made that up.

G.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 07:18:29 -0500, William >
wrote:



>
>Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>the supermarket?
>
>William

Supermarkets don't have them.

Visit New Jersey in July/August. Probably best from a homeowner's
garden than a commercial farm making those good looking ones.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> William > wrote:
> >
> >Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
> >the supermarket?
>
> Canned.

Canned tomatoes are fine for cooking but even the worse "fresh" tomatoes
from a grocery store are much better than canned for plain eating. Buy a
can of whole tomatoes and slice a few to put on a sandwich or in a salad,
then get back to me. Fail safe good tomatoes, my ass.

G.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

l not -l wrote:
>
> I buy a lot of my
> produce from the local international grocer and their produce rarely
> looks good, but tastes great.

Presentation is great but taste is the bottom line for a good meal.

G.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

William > wrote:

> I sliced the tomatoes and
> piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE.

See
<http://groups.google.com/group/rec.food.cooking/msg/809375233fa28d18>

Some heirloom tomatoes in season can be good. Otherwise - canned.

Victor

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:12:50 -0500, Gary > wrote:

>Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>> William > wrote:
>> >
>> >Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>> >the supermarket?
>>
>> Canned.
>
>Canned tomatoes are fine for cooking but even the worse "fresh" tomatoes
>from a grocery store are much better than canned for plain eating. Buy a
>can of whole tomatoes and slice a few to put on a sandwich or in a salad,
>then get back to me. Fail safe good tomatoes, my ass.

Whole canned tomatoes was exactly what I refering to. I love whole
peeled canned tomatoes, I like them sliced in sandwiches but I like
them even more eaten directly from the can.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:43:40 -0500, Gary > wrote:

>Julie Bove wrote:

-snip-
>>
>> Same thing happened when I tried growing them. Sorry. Wish I had an answer
>> for yaw.
>
>Are you saying that you grew your own tomatoes and they were tasteless,
>Julie? That's bullhockey and you just made that up.
>

I don't know if she made it up or not-- but the flavor range of even
home grown tomatoes goes from nothing to heavenly. Temperature,
water supply, nutrients and variety all play a role.

I grow several varieties every year and depending on mother nature one
or another of those varieties will be the best and worst.

Jim

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:30:06 GMT, "l not -l" > wrote:

>
>On 30-Nov-2012, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>
>> William > wrote:
>> >
>> >Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>> >the supermarket?
>>
>> Canned.
>
>While that's generally true; I just can't see making a BLT with canned
>tomatoes. 8-)

It works fine in sandwiches, cut in half and gently squeeze and shake
the seeds out first, then slice. Canned are much better tasting than
any stupidmarket produce tomato. I've tried all the fancy shmancy
designer market tomatoes, they're all awful. I either eat home growns
or canned. Canned would be much better than those cardboard thingies
on a BLT... they're very good on a tuna salad sandwich.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

This reminded me of Charlie the Tuna, and I can truthfully say [drum
roll please], "I don't want tomatoes with good taste. I want tomatoes
that taste good." There. It had to be said.

--Bryan

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

l not -l wrote:
> On 30-Nov-2012, William > wrote:
>
>> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>> the supermarket?
> The grocery stores I visit all offer large heirloom varieties that are
> very tasty; but, they are often scarred, have a short shelf-life and are
> about 4 times the cost of tasteless Florida tomatoes. Basically, they
> are not pretty; but, it's worth the cost when the tomato is the star,
> not a bit player; they are especially good in BLTs. In addition to
> read, there are very dark green and yellow varieties - the yellow being
> lower in acid. I use Roma/plum tomatoes in salads. Occasionally I
> find beefsteak tomatoes, but are inconsistent in quality.

I would normally buy heirloom tomatoes like that, but the ones I
had this year were not good. The vine-ripened ones can be fairly
decent (when you it isn't tomato season), but they don't seem to
be as good as they were when we could only by them from Holland.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

ViLco wrote:
> William wrote:
>
>> I was visiting my daughter last winter in south Florida and noticed a
>> field of tomatoes with a big sign inviting me to pick my own. These
>> were big beautiful looking ripe tomatoes. As soon as I got back to the
>> house, I wanted to make a tomato sandwich. I sliced the tomatoes and
>> piled them on the sandwich and took a bite. NO TASTE. They had no
>> flavor or taste They were pretty to the eyes but had no taste! Later,
>> someone told me that the Florida department of agriculture had
>> developed hybrid tomato seeds to grow perfect looking tomatoes but
>> they have no flavor.
>>
>> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>> the supermarket?
>
> Here the only tasty ones are "datterini", little tomatoes which grow in
> clusters like grapes:
> http://www.finagricola.it/finag-i/pr...-pom-datt.aspx
> I don't know hwy, maybe this cultivar is cheap and quick enough to grow,
> shelf stable enough to market, and thank goodness has taste

Ah. Those remind me of one of my favorite tomatoes, Matt's Wild
Cherry. I like them because the flavor is nicely balanced and not
just sweet.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

l not -l wrote:
> Yes, and that doesn't bother me. I only mentioned it because so many
> folks seem to want their produce to appear perfect. I buy a lot of my
> produce from the local international grocer and their produce rarely
> looks good, but tastes great.

I don't understand why consumers would prefer perfect but
tasteless tomatoes--unless they intend to photograph them.

Finding a good tomato in American markets is like hitting the lottery. All you can do is smell the tomato, if it has a strong scent of tomato, then it will taste good. Commercial tomatoes are 'engineered' to look good and that is all, they are picked green and hard for ease of shipping purposes and are gassed to turn them red. which is why I work so hard trying to grow my own during the summer. I really think someone is missing out on a great money making idea which would be to hot house grow heritage or Amish tomatoes in the local markets. Dang, what I'd pay for a real tomato!

The Practical BBQ'r

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:22:55 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:

>l not -l wrote:
>> Yes, and that doesn't bother me. I only mentioned it because so many
>> folks seem to want their produce to appear perfect. I buy a lot of my
>> produce from the local international grocer and their produce rarely
>> looks good, but tastes great.
>
>I don't understand why consumers would prefer perfect but
>tasteless tomatoes--unless they intend to photograph them.

Many go to the fast food restaurants where appearance is important. I
would think the people that grow for Campbell's Soup use flavor over
looks for one of the judging criteria, as well as yield per acre.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Sat, 1 Dec 2012 02:24:30 +0000, PracticalBBQ'r
> wrote:


>
>Finding a good tomato in American markets is like hitting the lottery.
>All you can do is smell the tomato, if it has a strong scent of tomato,
>then it will taste good. Commercial tomatoes are 'engineered' to look
>good and that is all, they are picked green and hard for ease of
>shipping purposes and are gassed to turn them red.


Not just tomatoes. Many fruits in the supermarket are really poor
quality compared to a local farm. Citrus can be good, but peaches
and the like are pretty sad even in season. Those big strawberries
make nice presentation, but taste like cardboard.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Friday, November 30, 2012 6:18:29 AM UTC-6, William wrote:
[snip]

I've read that most tomates are now a type bred to turn red before they are ripe. To avoid this, you may need to grow your own tomatoes, and if any variety is tasteless, don't plant that variety the next year. The older varieties are more likely to still have taste.

Robert Miles

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Sat, 1 Dec 2012 13:39:24 -0800 (PST), Robert Miles
> wrote:

>On Friday, November 30, 2012 6:18:29 AM UTC-6, William wrote:
>[snip]
>
>I've read that most tomates are now a type bred to turn red before they are ripe. To avoid this, you may need to grow your own tomatoes, and if any variety is tasteless, don't plant that variety the next year. The older varieties are more likely to still have taste.
>
>Robert Miles
That's a bit of bull pucky, don't you think? It may be true that
tomatoes designed to withstand the rigors of shipping to market
(commercial types) have sacrificed flavor in favor of endurance. But,
most? I think not.
Janet US

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 14:56:28 -0700, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

>On Sat, 1 Dec 2012 13:39:24 -0800 (PST), Robert Miles
> wrote:
>
>>On Friday, November 30, 2012 6:18:29 AM UTC-6, William wrote:
>>[snip]
>>
>>I've read that most tomates are now a type bred to turn red before they are ripe. To avoid this, you may need to grow your own tomatoes, and if any variety is tasteless, don't plant that variety the next year. The older varieties are more likely to still have taste.
>>
>>Robert Miles
>That's a bit of bull pucky, don't you think? It may be true that
>tomatoes designed to withstand the rigors of shipping to market
>(commercial types) have sacrificed flavor in favor of endurance. But,
>most? I think not.

I've grown too many types of tomatoes to count, never a home grown
vine ripened tomato that didn't have great flavor, all types different
but all very tastey. Most supermarket tomatoes have little flavor and
their texture is dry. If I picked my tomatoes while barely turning
ripe and let them ripen off the plant (which I've done end of season)
they are edible but never taste better than those at the market.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On 11/30/2012 5:30 PM, l not -l wrote:
> On 30-Nov-2012, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>
>> William > wrote:
>>>
>>> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>>> the supermarket?
>>
>> Canned.
>
> While that's generally true; I just can't see making a BLT with canned
> tomatoes. 8-)

When I was a teenager, I would put a can of tomatoes in the fridge to
chill. I would use fresh cracked pepper, then eat the entire contents
of the can. Delicious. I never tried it on a sandwich, though.

Becca

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 14:56:28 -0700, Janet Bostwick
> > wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 1 Dec 2012 13:39:24 -0800 (PST), Robert Miles
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> On Friday, November 30, 2012 6:18:29 AM UTC-6, William wrote:
>>> [snip]
>>>
>>> I've read that most tomates are now a type bred to turn red before they
>>> are ripe. To avoid this, you may need to grow your own tomatoes, and
>>> if any variety is tasteless, don't plant that variety the next year.
>>> The older varieties are more likely to still have taste.
>>>
>>> Robert Miles
>> That's a bit of bull pucky, don't you think? It may be true that
>> tomatoes designed to withstand the rigors of shipping to market
>> (commercial types) have sacrificed flavor in favor of endurance. But,
>> most? I think not.
>
> I've grown too many types of tomatoes to count, never a home grown
> vine ripened tomato that didn't have great flavor, all types different
> but all very tastey. Most supermarket tomatoes have little flavor and
> their texture is dry. If I picked my tomatoes while barely turning
> ripe and let them ripen off the plant (which I've done end of season)
> they are edible but never taste better than those at the market.

I don't think I had a decent tomato this year. My grown tomatoes have not
done any good the last two years. Some kind of disease, plus I got
stinkbugs. The ones I got from neighbor were not up to par. They all go bad
quickly.

Greg

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Sun, 2 Dec 2012 01:53:12 +0000 (UTC), gregz >
wrote:

>Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>> On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 14:56:28 -0700, Janet Bostwick
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> On Sat, 1 Dec 2012 13:39:24 -0800 (PST), Robert Miles
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Friday, November 30, 2012 6:18:29 AM UTC-6, William wrote:
>>>> [snip]
>>>>
>>>> I've read that most tomates are now a type bred to turn red before they
>>>> are ripe. To avoid this, you may need to grow your own tomatoes, and
>>>> if any variety is tasteless, don't plant that variety the next year.
>>>> The older varieties are more likely to still have taste.
>>>>
>>>> Robert Miles
>>> That's a bit of bull pucky, don't you think? It may be true that
>>> tomatoes designed to withstand the rigors of shipping to market
>>> (commercial types) have sacrificed flavor in favor of endurance. But,
>>> most? I think not.
>>
>> I've grown too many types of tomatoes to count, never a home grown
>> vine ripened tomato that didn't have great flavor, all types different
>> but all very tastey. Most supermarket tomatoes have little flavor and
>> their texture is dry. If I picked my tomatoes while barely turning
>> ripe and let them ripen off the plant (which I've done end of season)
>> they are edible but never taste better than those at the market.
>
>I don't think I had a decent tomato this year. My grown tomatoes have not
>done any good the last two years. Some kind of disease, plus I got
>stinkbugs. The ones I got from neighbor were not up to par. They all go bad
>quickly.
>
>Greg

As a long, long time tomato grower of the same variety, I can tell you
that the type of growing season really affects the flavor and body of
the fruit.
Janet US

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On 12/1/2012 4:32 PM, Ema Nymton wrote:
> On 11/30/2012 5:30 PM, l not -l wrote:
>> On 30-Nov-2012, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>>
>>> William > wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
>>>> the supermarket?
>>>
>>> Canned.
>>
>> While that's generally true; I just can't see making a BLT with canned
>> tomatoes. 8-)
>
> When I was a teenager, I would put a can of tomatoes in the fridge to
> chill. I would use fresh cracked pepper, then eat the entire contents
> of the can. Delicious. I never tried it on a sandwich, though.

That's a most fantastic way to eat them!
--
bill_n

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Robert Miles > wrote:

-snip-
>
>I've read that most tomates are now a type bred to turn red before they are ripe.
> To avoid this, you may need to grow your own tomatoes, and if any variety is tasteless,
> don't plant that variety the next year.

Nope. I've had sweet 100's that weren't sweet because it never got
hot enough, or was too wet, or the soil was tired. Then the next
year, from the same packet of seed, they were as Sweet as they should
be.

Same with my Polish Linguisa tomatoes-- the Beefmasters, and even
Rutgers.

>The older varieties are more likely to still have taste.

My neighbor grew heirlooms for a couple years. Out of the 4-5
varieties he planted each year a couple were OK. I was never
tempted to try them, and he's gone back to disease resistant 'new'
varieties.

Jim

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> Whole canned tomatoes was exactly what I refering to. I love whole
> peeled canned tomatoes, I like them sliced in sandwiches but I like
> them even more eaten directly from the can.

I tried that years ago but you've got me tempted to give them one more try.
I will be using some next weekend and I'll pull one out for a sandwich.

G.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:22:55 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
>> l not -l wrote:
>>> Yes, and that doesn't bother me. I only mentioned it because so many
>>> folks seem to want their produce to appear perfect. I buy a lot of my
>>> produce from the local international grocer and their produce rarely
>>> looks good, but tastes great.
>> I don't understand why consumers would prefer perfect but
>> tasteless tomatoes--unless they intend to photograph them.
>
> Many go to the fast food restaurants where appearance is important. I
> would think the people that grow for Campbell's Soup use flavor over
> looks for one of the judging criteria, as well as yield per acre.

That rationale for using cardboard tomatoes is amusing. They may
DO it for that reason, but I always find myself wondering why the
tomatoes are so awful even during tomato season.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> Not just tomatoes. Many fruits in the supermarket are really poor
> quality compared to a local farm. Citrus can be good, but peaches
> and the like are pretty sad even in season. Those big strawberries
> make nice presentation, but taste like cardboard.

The peaches and nectarines that were in the regular markets were
awful this year. Luckily, the ramshackle farm stand that I go to
sells fruit that they grow, which is one reason why I started
going there.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
> My neighbor grew heirlooms for a couple years. Out of the 4-5
> varieties he planted each year a couple were OK. I was never
> tempted to try them, and he's gone back to disease resistant 'new'
> varieties.
>
> Jim

Well, if you have a way to buy heirlooms at farmstands etc., you
can sample them and decide which you like, and THEN grow them
yourself. That is what I did.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

On Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:55:48 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:

>Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>> On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:22:55 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>>
>>> l not -l wrote:
>>>> Yes, and that doesn't bother me. I only mentioned it because so many
>>>> folks seem to want their produce to appear perfect. I buy a lot of my
>>>> produce from the local international grocer and their produce rarely
>>>> looks good, but tastes great.
>>> I don't understand why consumers would prefer perfect but
>>> tasteless tomatoes--unless they intend to photograph them.
>>
>> Many go to the fast food restaurants where appearance is important. I
>> would think the people that grow for Campbell's Soup use flavor over
>> looks for one of the judging criteria, as well as yield per acre.
>
>That rationale for using cardboard tomatoes is amusing. They may
>DO it for that reason, but I always find myself wondering why the
>tomatoes are so awful even during tomato season.

Easy, vine ripened tomatoes don't ship well. You need to grow your
own or buy from a roadside farm stand.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:55:48 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
>> Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>> On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:22:55 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:
>>>
>>>> l not -l wrote:
>>>>> Yes, and that doesn't bother me. I only mentioned it because so many
>>>>> folks seem to want their produce to appear perfect. I buy a lot of my
>>>>> produce from the local international grocer and their produce rarely
>>>>> looks good, but tastes great.
>>>> I don't understand why consumers would prefer perfect but
>>>> tasteless tomatoes--unless they intend to photograph them.
>>> Many go to the fast food restaurants where appearance is important. I
>>> would think the people that grow for Campbell's Soup use flavor over
>>> looks for one of the judging criteria, as well as yield per acre.
>> That rationale for using cardboard tomatoes is amusing. They may
>> DO it for that reason, but I always find myself wondering why the
>> tomatoes are so awful even during tomato season.
>
> Easy, vine ripened tomatoes don't ship well. You need to grow your
> own or buy from a roadside farm stand.

That's what I do, but I don't have that control at restaurants.
Not that I am getting to them now.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

Jean B. wrote:

> I always find myself wondering why the
> tomatoes are so awful even during tomato season.

Really? You really wonder about that? The subject comes up all the
time in the food section of several big newspapers I know of. The
explanation is straightforward, pretty much what you'd guess based on
a general knowledge of the food industry.

Buying Tomatoes that have good taste?
 

In article >,
William > wrote:

hey have no flavor.
>
> Does anybody have a fail safe method of selecting tasty tomatoes at
> the supermarket?
>
> William

Look for Campari brand.
--
Barb,
http://www.barbschaller.com, as of August 20, 2012