“Knowledge is knowing tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” Unknown

Welcome to peak tomato season!! Homegrown tomatoes are one of the purest treasures of summer. Chances are you have more tomatoes than you can keep up with. A great problem to have! We all love sauces and salsas, but let's think outside the box and try something new this season. Dig into these fresh-off-the-vine recipes now...you have all fall and winter to load up on heartier tomato dishes.

Picking Tomatoes

What to look for in a ripe, ready to pick tomato? Color, firmness, and smell. When the color is even throughout, it’s ready to be picked. It will ripen first on the bottom, and the color will spread to the entire fruit. Ripe tomatoes will feel firm with a little softness when squeezed. They should feel full and heavy. A ripe tomato also gives off a sweet distinct smell of, well, tomatoes! Unripe tomatoes won’t smell like much at all. When ready to pick, just twist that juicy ‘mater off the vine or use clippers to cut larger varieties. Once they’ve started to ripen, they no longer need sunlight. Too much sunlight will cause your overripe tomatoes to blister or split open.

Tomatoes also continue to ripen after they’re picked. If you think you picked a little too early, no worries! Store on your kitchen counter and watch your tomatoes ripen to perfection. Some people like to let them fully ripen on the vine for the sweetest flavor and immediate use. Others like to harvest a little early and let them ripen inside, extending the shelf life. I let my tomatoes ripen on the vine because I usually use them the same or next day. Happy harvesting!

TIP: Don’t store tomatoes in the fridge! They get mushy and also lose nutrients and flavor. If you like a cold tomato on a sandwich, salad, or just for snacking, toss it in the fridge a couple hours before eating, just long enough to chill it.