Discover Why the Tastiest Tomatoes Always Share This Shape!

During the sweltering heat of summer, you likely enjoy cooling down with fresh salads and raw vegetables. Is there anything better than a classic tomato and mozzarella salad, jazzed up with chopped basil, pine nuts, and a secret-recipe vinaigrette? However, such a simple dish demands top-quality ingredients. That’s why when you head to the market, you take your time to carefully pick out the best tomatoes, searching for the juiciest ones available. You definitely steer clear of bland, waterlogged, pesticide-laden tomatoes. In fact, Nicolas Toutain, a farmer who specializes in heirloom tomatoes, shared a valuable tip on this topic with broadcaster Laurent Mariotte.

The first thing to do is feel the tomatoes. The sweetest fruits, as the expert of the National Tomato Conservatory’s gardens explains, will be somewhat soft to the touch. In contrast, mass-produced industrial tomatoes tend to be very firm, designed to withstand shipping but often lacking in flavor. Nicolas also points out that price is a good indicator of quality. Typically, a high-quality tomato, carefully cultivated by a skilled farmer, will cost between 4 to 6 euros per kilogram. Moreover, he strongly advises buying tomatoes at a market rather than a supermarket, and suggests favoring stalls run by small producers over those owned by large wholesalers that offer multiple tomato varieties.

But according to him, the ultimate indicator is the shape of the tomato. “Opt for irregular, ribbed shapes in varied colors (like Black Krim, true Beefheart, Pineapple…),” Nicolas advises. “These are signs of an heirloom variety grown in open soil,” he explains. Whether they are greenhouse-grown or not, these types of tomatoes are far superior in taste. Conversely, “Avoid perfectly smooth, round tomatoes that are too uniformly red. These are often industrial hybrid varieties,” the expert cautions. Even if they have a ribbed appearance, like the beefheart tomatoes, if the color is too uniform, they are likely to lack flavor.

Keep this in mind: Most tomatoes sold in supermarkets come from hybrid varieties that are easy to grow, transport, and store. Even though they may look appealingly red and shiny, they often lack robust flavor. It’s better to seek out tomatoes from small local growers, which may be slightly softer and less uniformly colored, but will definitely be more aromatic, as any good farmer will tell you!