Wolf peach. Golden apple. A tomato by any other name would taste just as sweet.
Though Israel and the island of Santorini, Greece are both responsible for the cherry tomato variety, the most direct family line traces back to wild tomatoes from Peru. Around 700 A.D., the Incas and Aztecs began to cultivate them in Mexico. In the 1970s cherry tomatoes gained popularity in Britain, before migrating to the United States a decade later.
Cherry tomatoes are a delectable snack. A half cup provides 15 percent of your daily value of vitamin A and 20 percent of vitamin C, and all for the small price of 16 calories. According to the National Institutes of Health, tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant responsible for the red and pink colors seen in tomatoes. Consumption of tomatoes and tomato products is associated with a reduced risk for many types of cancers, most notably prostate, lung and stomach.
In the Pacific Northwest, cherry tomatoes are in peak season July through September. Select fruit that is bright in color with no bruises under the skin. They should feel firm, giving slightly when you press them.
If you have the willpower to resist eating cherry tomatoes right off the vine, store them whole at room temperature in a single layer in an open container to maintain the best flavor.
Tomatoes can be refrigerated for three days to help delay softening, but this will slightly reduce their flavor.
Refrigerate cut or cooked tomatoes in a covered container and use within two days. Should your tomatoes need to ripen, place them in a paper bag at room temperature. Check daily.
Cut tomatoes are considered a potentially hazardous food, which means they should be treated with the same care as raw meat to prevent cross contamination.
Freeze tomatoes by washing and removing the stem before placing them in a labeled freezer bag either whole or chopped. Use in cooked dishes within eight months.
Cherry tomatoes are tastiest when fresh, as they tend to become watery once you cook them down. Enjoy them in a caprese, panzanella or mixed salad. For a simple bruschetta, stir chopped cherry tomatoes with herbs, garlic, and olive oil, and layer over toast. “So Easy To Preserve” by the Cooperative Extension at The University of Georgia has recipes for a variety of tomato sauces and salsas. Copies are available through the WSU-Extension Office for $30.
Because botulism is a major risk with home canning tomatoes, it is very important to use research-based processing recipes and directions.
A perfect blend of sweet, tart and juicy, cherry tomatoes are nature’s lemonade in a bitesize package. Run to grab these flavor gems while they’re still in peak season.
For additional tomato recipes and serving suggestions, check out Chef Scotty’s Market Fresh Recipes at http://ext100.wsu.edu/clark/?p=8163. The FINI Fresh Match program provides help to SNAP consumers to purchase more fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets. Find out more at: clark.wa.gov/public-health/snap-farmers-markets.
Claire Nichols, RD, is a Clark County WSU Extension master food preserver. For additional recipes, food preservation and food safety information visit http://ext100.wsu.edu/clark/?p=1134. Have questions? Call MFP Helpline: 360-397-6060 ext. 5366, or join Facebook discussion group “WSU Home Food Preservers – Clark County.”
