Cherry Tomatoes are very sweet, miniature versions of traditional large tomatoes, but they are equally as nutritious. Cherry tomatoes are high in vitamins A, B and Lycopene (an antioxidant).
A longtime farm favorite cherry tomato is Sungold. Summer is not complete until we can snack on a handful of these delicious, tiny bursts of flavor. New varieties we are trying this year include: Kumquat, unique purple/orange fruit with citrus-y tang, and Sweet Aperitif, arguably the sweetest red cherry tomato. We will see!
Storage and Selection: The best test of a great tomato, even more than its color, is aroma – smell them and you should be able to inhale strong, sweet acid tomato wafts. Keep tomatoes at room temperature until ripe, and then use within a day or two. Don’t refrigerate them, as it will affect their flavor.
Culinary Uses: Cherry Tomatoes are good enough to snack on by them selves, but they can also be used in a variety of ways:
- Add halved cherry tomatoes to a spinach or tossed green salad.
- Halved and used to top a homemade pizza.
- Stir halved cherry tomatoes into low-fat cottage cheese for a tasty and nutritious snack.
- Saute chopped cherry tomatoes with onions and garlic for a delicious topping to accompany grilled chicken, pork chops or steak.
- Toss with oil, briefly roast and serve as a vegetable side dish with fish, chicken or meat.
Information from: The Produce Bible by Leanne Kitchen