Robbie Sigona’s Produce Tips: Tomatoes

Baby Heirloom Tomatoes: 

• Tomatoes should be ripe but firm.
• Avoid shriveled as that is a sign of age.
• Store at room temperature in a breathable basket not in the fridge. The cold will break the tomatoes down.

Dry-Farmed Early Girls

• Select dry-farmed Early Girls that are solid red in color and firm to the touch.
• The calyx (or stem) should be fresh and not too dry.
• Store at room temperature unless cut; then store them in the fridge.

Heirloom Tomatoes

• Selecting heirloom tomatoes is different than other tomatoes. These beauties should have a slight give, even when soft (picked super-ripe) they’re sweet, juicy, full of flavor and never mushy. Some varieties have a natural green color (like the Green Zebra), others have a green color presence (Cherokee Purple) and are bursting with flavor.
  

  Sea of heirlooms

• Keep in mind that heirlooms are not bred to be perfect. They’ll have cracks, scrapes and bruises, but they’re perfectly fine to eat.
• Handle with care as these are very delicate tomatoes.
• Place tomatoes in separate bags when shopping so they don’t knock up against each other and bruise.
• Once you get them home, store them at room temperature.

Beefsteaks:

• Choose when they are red in color and with a slight give.
• Since they are a back yard tomato they may have some blemishes that won’t change the wonderful flavor.
• Place tomatoes in separate bags when shopping so they don’t knock up against each other and bruise.
• Once you get them home, store them at room temperature.

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Robbie Sigona is our produce buyer. He works with local farmers and scours the market for the very best in fresh fruits and vegetables – some of you won’t find anywhere else.