What are the types of tomato that you have bought and cooked? Red, juicy tomatoes greet you as you walk into the vegetable section of any supermarket. Do you know that tomatoes come in yellow purple, black and green color too? The tomato finds its way to almost all cuisines of the world.

Tomato History

Tomatoes began to be popular only by the middle of the eighteenth century in Britain in spite of being grown here since the sixteenth century. Even though various types of tomato was eaten in Italy and Spain, it was largely believed to be poisonous and hence used only in herbal remedies. The Victorian era saw tomato attain industrial scales. The different types of tomato grown had various flavors ranging from sweet to juicy to tangy.

Types of Tomato Available in the Market   

These are some of the various types of tomato that can bought from your nearest market.

• Beef tomatoes – these are huge tomatoes weighing up to one or two pounds each. They are used in salads, cooking and for garnishing. The flesh is sweet and dense and the big size makes them ideal for stuffing.

• Cherry tomatoes – smaller varieties of tomatoes with an intense flavor. They are best roasted full or mixed in salads. They can make lunch boxes more appetizing.

• Vine ripened tomatoes – these types of tomato are full of flavor and are ripened on the vine. They have a very distinct aroma and are best in salads or roasted.

• Baby plum tomatoes – juicy and sweet, baby plum tomatoes have an elongated shape and are deep red in color.

• Midi plum tomatoes – oval shaped tomatoes with a sweet-sour taste. They are characterized by high seed to flesh ratio and are best cooked in casseroles and barbecues.

• Plum tomatoes – these are egg shaped meaty tomatoes ideal to be used while cooking. They come in various shapes and is the preferred tomato for canning.

• Pear tomatoes - small tomatoes shaped like pears.

• Sungold tomatoes – lovely orange colored cherry tomatoes. Best used as garnish and in salads. The flavor is delicate and traditional.

• Currant tomatoes – tiny pea sized tomatoes with strong flavor.

• Grape tomatoes – shaped and sized like grapes, these types of tomato are sweet and ideal for salads.

• Globe tomatoes – these types of tomato are the most common. They come in medium size and are used for cooking. Tomato soup recipes mostly use this variety of tomato.

All types of tomato can be eaten raw or cooked. Salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes use raw tomatoes and many savory dishes use them as garnish. Soups, stews, sauces, pickles, chutneys, pies, quiches etc are some recipes that various types of tomato are used in. Larger varieties of tomatoes can be skinned, seeded prior to cooking or baked and stuffed.

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