Tomato Varieties and Their Best Uses

This week, we jump into tomato varieties.What’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom?Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. According to USDA, tomato origin in South America and arrived in the states in the late 1700s. Since that time, thousands of tomato varieties have been developed to improve quality and disease resistance. Thanks to tomato imports and tomato cultivation; today, we have countless options to choose from with different sizes, colors, and flavors to enjoy. With so many varieties to choose from, you might be wondering what the difference is between each and which is the one I need? Purvey'd have organized this week's edition of The Juice for guidance. Here are some tomato varieties commonly carried in inventory. Hopefully, this will help you find the perfect tomato for your next purchase. Grape Tomato Grape tomatoes get their name because they are oblong and shaped like grapes. They’re about half the size of cherry tomatoes and have thicker skins. They are not as sweet as cherry tomatoes and the flesh is meatier and less watery. Furthermore, they are great for snacking and salads. In comparison to a cherry tomato, the grape tomato has a longer shelf life, making them ideal for storage. Cherry Tomato As the name suggests, cherry tomato is the size and shape of cherries with thinner skin. They come in a variety of colors, such as red, orange, yellow, and brown. They are sweet and juicy with a crisp bite. You can easily recognize a cherry tomato by taking a bite, and the tomato juice will immediately burst in your mouth. Great for hollowing out and stuffing and snacking. Green Tomatillo Green tomatillos are similar to green, unripe tomatoes with a dry, leafy husk that wraps around the outside. They are sour and sweet, like a green apple; with bright citrus notes and a dense, dry texture. A popular ingredient for Mexican sauces and soups. If you like Granny Smith apple, you should give a green tomatillo a try. Plum Tomato A Plum tomato is a medium-sized tomato that is generally oval or cylindrical shaped. They are mild and not as juicy as the other varieties. Suitable for processing into a paste or sauce. That is the reason why they are also called processing tomato/paste tomato. If you are looking to make your own pasta sauce or something similar, make use of the plum tomato. Their mild flavor will help enhance the supplementary spices and less water content will make a well-balanced sauce density. Stem Tomato Stem tomato is a round tomato with the vine still attached. They are left on the vine to immerse the plant's nutrients until fully ripe. They are meaty and have small seeds. Stem tomatoes taste tart and juicy with a garden-fresh flavor. They are most often used for slicing and salads. If you are looking for something similar to fresh-picked tomatoes from your backyard, check out the stem tomatoes. Beefsteak Tomato Beefsteak tomato is a large round tomato that is firm and meaty. They are mild with lots of water content and used for salsa, sauce, and burger toppings. The versatility of the beefsteak tomato can never do you wrong. They go with everything, regardless of whether you prepare it raw or cooked. Whether you are looking for small, sweet cherry tomato for a quick snack to large juicy all-purposed beefsteak tomato; we got you covered! Do not see what you are looking for, contact us at support@purveyd.com and let us purvey the fresh, high-quality tomatoes for you.