Varieties
Q1. What are
the main varieties of tomatoes?
A1. Classic tomatoes
These are the most common
type available and vary in size according to the exact type and the time
of the year. They are generally quite acidic with a full flavour, so
are excellent for cooking or eating raw. For cooking, look for soft,
ripe fruit and add a pinch or season to bring out the flavour.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses:
Sliced in salads, pies and quiches.
To store:
At room temperature.
To prepare:
Wash and cut into quarters, halves or slices.
Baby plum
tomatoes
The
tiniest of plum tomatoes available, and even smaller than cherry
tomatoes-this sweet, oval shaped variety is
just perfect for eating as they are.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses:
Sliced in salads, pies and quiches.
To store:
At room temperature.
Cherry
tomatoes
These small, dainty cherry
sized type are very sweet and a good choice for salads or for cooking
whole. They were once the prized treasures of gardeners but are now
widely available. Although they are more expensive than round or salad
tomatoes. Red, yellow, and orange varieties are available.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses: In
salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes. Roasted cherry tomatoes are
delicious accompaniment to
chicken or fish dishes.
To store:
At room temperature.
To prepare:
Wash and serve whole or halved.
Cherry vine
tomatoes
A sweet tomato matured on
the vine for the best flavour. Inside the fruit these are two cells
packed with seeds in a tangy, sweet flavoured juice. When ripe the
fruit is a deep red colour and very firm.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses: In
salads, on pizzas or served simply with bread and cheese.
To prepare:
Keep the tomatoes on the vine until needed.
Cocktail plum
tomatoes
A sweet, tangy small version
of the ever popular plum tomatoes - mid way in size between regular plum
tomatoes and baby plum tomatoes. Cocktail plum tomatoes are sold on the
vine.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses: In salads,
roasted or sliced and served with a selection of cured meats and
cheese.
To store:
At room temperature.
Green
tomatoes
Traditionally green tomatoes were unripe Ned tomatoes, which had a
tangy, slightly acidic flavour.
Ripe green tomatoes are also available now, they have a
bright green flesh and subtle tang.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses: They add a
splash of colour to salads and are also good in soups and sauces.
To store:
At room temperature.
To prepare:
Wash before use and slice, halve or quarter.
Orange
tomatoes
Mid
flavoured tomatoes with a sweet, delicate flavour and low in acidity.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses: They add a
splash of colour to salads and are also good in soups and sauces.
To store:
At room temperature.
To prepare:
Wash before use and slice, halve or quarter.
Plum tomatoes
Plum tomatoes are a deep red
with a distinctive oval shape. Richly flavoured with fewer seeds than
round tomatoes, these are considered to be the best cooking tomatoes due
to their concentrated flavour and high acidity. Grown widely in Italy,
they are available in a range of sizes and colours, but red plums are
best for cooking. They are the most popular variety for canning.
Seasonal
availability: All year round.
Uses: Their firm
flesh makes them perfect for cooking, particularly Mediterranean dishes
such as ratatouille and pasta sauces.
To store:
At room temperature.
To prepare:
Plum tomatoes can be eaten raw or cooked, with or without their skin.
Raff tomatoes
A traditional large winter
variety from southern Spain which are at their best when they are still
tinged with green. They are left to mature on the vine to develop the
maximum taste and sweetness.
Seasonal
availability: November to March.
Uses:
Their large size makes Raff tomatoes ideal for slicing and stuffing.
To store:
At room temperature.
To prepare: Wash
thoroughly in cold water. For stuffing, slice top off tomatoes and
scoop out the seeds and flesh using a teaspoon.
To cook:
Preheat the oven to 200șC, gas mark 6 and fill the prepared
tomatoes with the stuffing of your choice
and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Red choice
tomatoes
These tomatoes have been
selected and grown for the best flavour. Rich, red and slightly smaller
than the standard tomatoes, they are aromatic and sweet with a full,
fruity, plumy flavour.
Seasonal
availability: English from April to October.
Uses:
They can be eaten raw in salads, cooked in soups, and sauces or roasted
with herbs. They can also be
used in pies, risottos, tarts and relishes.
To store:
Store at room temperature to bring out the flavour.
To prepare:
Slice, halve, quarter or roughly chop as necessary.
Slicing or
beef tomatoes
These are pumpkin shaped,
large, ridged and deep red or orange in colour. They have a good firm
texture and a sweet, mellow flavour due to their low acidity.
Seasonal
availability: All year, English from June to September
Uses: Their size and
shape make them excellent for slicing to use in sandwiches and salads,
or for stuffing and baking whole.
To store:
Tomatoes are sub tropical fruits and should be store at room
temperature not in the fridge.
To prepare: Wash
before use. For a simple starter, slice thinly and sprinkle with olive
oil and chopped basil, adding slices of mozzarella cheese if liked. For
baking, cut off a lid and scoop out the centre with a teaspoon.
Yellow tomatoes
These
have a sweet, slightly lemony, mild flavour and a lower acidity than red
tomatoes.
Seasonal
availability: All year.
Uses:
Yellow tomatoes should ideally be used in salads for their decorative
quality, but also suitable for
cooking and are especially good in pickles and
chutneys.
To store:
Keep at room temperature.
To prepare:
Wash before use and slice, halve or quarter.
Q2. What is
the percentage of UK consumption for each of the main varieties?
A2. The UK consumption
of these varieties are:
Classic 77%
Cherry 10.3%
Plum
7.5%
Beef 1.25%
Vine 1.8%
Of these,
70% are harvested and marketed loose and 30% on the vine.
