Tomatoes are botanically a fruit - actually berries - but no less than the U.S. Supreme Court, in a ruling dealing with tariffs, declared them a vegetable. Tomatoes are indigenous to the Andes although they were domesticated in Mexico. They were first introduced to Europe in 1527, but as ornamental plants as they were thought to be poisonous. The Italians were the first to begin eating tomatoes seriously. The Italian name, "pomodoro," when translated, gave tomatoes the English nickname, "love apples." It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that tomatoes became a widespread food.
Fresh tomatoes are now available year round, but most are picked green-ripe and allowed to finish ripening in transit, usually by gassing them. There is no question that tomatoes ripened on the vine have more flavor than others - but the problems in shipping vine-ripened tomatoes make them less commercially viable.
Most chefs turn to canned rather than using commercial tomatoes. Cook's Illustrated praises the Progresso and Muir Glen brands quite highly, while also recommending Redpack and Contadina, see All Canned Crushed tomatoes Are Not the Same at Cook's Illustrated. In general, when buying a can of tomatoes, look for one that lists "tomatoes," not "tomato puree" as its first ingredient.
But in the summer, you can find vine-ripened tomatoes (which are not the same thing as the "tomatoes on the vine" currently imported from Holland). Choose ones that are heavy for their size, yielding but not soft, have a saturated color, and actually smell like a tomato. When you bring them home, store them at room temperature - refrigerating actually kills one of the major flavor components.
Tomato types include:
- Beefsteak - large, deep red, juicy tomatoes good for fresh salads and sandwiches
- Cherry - small red or yellow tomatoes - the yellow ones have less acidity. Use fresh or sauté briefly in butter and herbs like basil or oregano
- Pear - small, pear-shaped red or yellow tomatoes - very sweet for fresh eating
- Plum or Roma - red, egg-shaped with a greater proportion of pulp to seed and gel; used for sauces, soup, purees and other cooked dishes
