Straight from the Farmer: Tomatoes

Photo Courtesy of  the Redd Blog

Hi Everyone!

The heirloom tomatoes are really starting to ripen and will continue to be a part of your share in the upcoming weeks. Some are firm and some have really ripened. We did pick everything fresh so I would recommend that you enjoy the softer tomatoes first. Lastly, the flavor of your tomatoes is best preserved by not refrigerating them.

"Refrigeration is the enemy of the tomato as it nullifies flavor and turns the flesh mealy. The culprit is a compound called Z-3 hexenel, which accounts for the tomato's scent and taste. The development process which turns tomato's linolenic acid to the Z-3 that makes our mouth and nose sing is hindered by cold. If you must refrigerate a tomato, take it out about an hour before using it to let it return to room temperature to revive any lurking Z-3." --explanation provided by about.com:homecooking.


Hope you enjoy!