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Questions tagged [tomatoes]

Questions around preparing or cooking with tomatoes, along with selecting appropriate varieties

Tomatoes are considered as for culinary purposes despite that botanically they are fruits.

Resources:

276 questions
23
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Are these tomatoes San Marzano knockoffs?

I buy these tomatoes at my local grocery and always assumed they were San Marzano brand. I was waiting for my soup to simmer and was reading the label when I noticed the initials on the label actually say "San Merican Tomatoes". Google turns up…
John
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4 answers

What is the alternative to a vine ripened tomato?

Having just had a lovely sandwich of Aberdeen Angus beef, vine ripened tomato and horseradish I was wondering if anyone could explain to me exactly what a vine ripened tomato is? Since all tomatoes have ripened and all tomatoes grow on a vine,…
StuPointerException
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5 answers

How do you make tomato paste?

I have a garden every year and would prefer to use my own tomatoes for all my cooking. I can them and make sauces, but haven't found a good recipe that describes the technique for tomato paste. I need it to be thick like you buy at the store - I…
tab
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15
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5 answers

How to get best taste out of tomatoes?

I'm making an Indian dish, for this I need tomatoes, no matter what recipe I follow I'm not getting the taste of the restaurant. Is this because I'm not preparing tomato properly or is it because I'm not choosing good tomatoes? How can I identify…
user79421
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2 answers

Why do sun-dried tomatoes taste different than fresh tomatoes?

I thought that dehydrated produce only differs from fresh produce in containing less water, so why do sun-dried tomatoes taste so different from their fresh counterparts?
Malper
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11
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2 answers

Is it the ash from Mount Vesuvius that gives Italian tomatoes their great taste?

I have heard it mentioned that it is the ash in the soil from the volcano that gives Italian tomatoes their great flavour. Is this true or just an old wives tale?
Neil Meyer
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9 answers

How to know what variety of tomatoes will be good as a spaghetti sauce?

I have never succeeded from making great tomato sauce using our native tomatoes and the final product always tastes flat. When I eat the tomato, there is always 0 hints of sweetness in them and not much juice comes out of it. Just by looking at the…
Pherdindy
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9
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2 answers

Why use chopped tomatoes and tomato paste/puree?

I have seen a number of recipes that call for a tin of chopped tomatoes and some quantity (usually a tablespoon or two) of tomato puree (USA: tomato paste). What is the reasoning behind using tomato puree as well? Does it give a different texture or…
Bluebelle
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How does one soften sun dried tomatoes?

Some packs of sun dried tomatoes come a bit too hard to chew. How do I soften them for use in a salad? Should I toss them?
papin
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8
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4 answers

Can tomato paste be substituted for tomato purée?

A recipe for meat loaf from an Australian book (apparently terminology differs from country to country) calls for 1 cup (250 mL/8 fl oz) of tomato purée, and 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Wikipedia's article on tomato purée claims that the main…
Golden Cuy
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7
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1 answer

Are sundried tomatoes regulated in the EU?

There are different methods for drying tomatoes, and I suppose that using a dehydrator is most convenient in an industrial setting. Still, many dried tomatoes are sold as "sundried tomatoes". I have heard the skeptical opinion that these are…
rumtscho
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What is the difference between grape and cherry tomatoes?

What is the flavor difference between grape and cherry tomatoes? The store had both and they looked rather similar.
rfusca
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2 answers

Sun dried tomatoes

I purchased sun dried tomatoes, all natural/no oil, in a bulk food store that is not in my area a year ago. They are packaged in ziplock bags with no Best Before date. One package is still unopened, stored in my pantry. There is no sign of spoilage…
Reg
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3 answers

Do you need to cook tomato puree?

I'm making a tomato sauce cold from tinned tomatoes and I was going to add tomato puree to thicken the sauce. Is it ok to use tomato puree without cooking it?
T. Green
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5
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4 answers

What does it mean when a recipe calls for coring a tomato?

When I was making gazpacho, I looked up a video, and found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDt0L1-SaRg In this video, almost the entire interior of the tomato is removed. I followed this video, and ended up with a less gazpacho than I thought…
Karptonite
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