nwafoodie.jpg "properly storing tomatoes (c)nwafoodie")
Do mealy, mushy, and messy tomatoes frustrate you?
Are you fooling yourself by saying, “But it is wintertime, not tomato time. It is nature’s way. What else should I expect?”
Okay, technically it IS wintertime and not tomato time, yet you should EXPECT more. You know I just want the best for you. I want you to have the freshest, cleanest tasting, ripest, and most delicious food experience each time you open your mouth. Unless you have a greenhouse, I know you are not able to buy fresh off the vine tomatoes that are bursting with flavor right now. Even the “fresh off the vine” tomatoes aren’t rocking your boat at the present.
I understand.
However, there is something you CAN do to maintain tomato integrity… just keep them out of the refrigerator. Tomatoes do best when stored on your countertop at a comfortable room temperature. Keeping them in the cold refrigerator turns them to a mushy, mealy mess. Not pretty. Not tasty. If you have chopped tomato leftovers, store them in a glass container with a lid… and, yep you guessed it, NOT in the fridge.
This is an easy tip you will want to incorporate in your life right away because you will notice a big happy immediate difference.
Happy storing!
Lyndi
Eat well, my friends. Eat well.
PS :: If you are also storing your cucumbers on the counter, it is best to keep them away from your tomatoes, melons, and bananas. These all emit an ethylene gas, which cucumbers are sensitive to. I learned that tasty tidbit from rootsimple, a “back to basics” blog about all things homegrown. Check them out.
