Author: Justin Shelton

Is it too late to start tomatoes? Definitely not. You can plant tomato seeds anytime in the spring. Many people around here don’t sow them until April, as they are fast germinators and fast growers. Can you plant tomato seeds in April? April is the Last Chance for Sowing Tomato Seeds If you haven’t already […]

Uses: They are often eaten raw as a garnish for salads and appetizers, sliced thinly for sandwiches, or added to various pasta, meat, and vegetable dishes. They are also used in soups, stews, and sauces. What is the other use of tomatoes? Tomatoes are juicy and sweet, full of antioxidants, and may help fight several […]

Tomatoes are the backbone of a great salsa. Choose a meaty variety, like beefsteak or Roma. Cherry tomatoes are also a good option, especially if you are growing your tomato plants in a container. Tomato plants can grow very large. What type of tomato is best for salsa? Here are some of the most popular […]

Tomato paste is a pantry MVP: Its concentrated, almost meaty taste adds nuance and body to sauces and more. Here’s how to use it correctly. Tomato paste is a pantry MVP: Its concentrated, almost meaty taste adds nuance and body to everything from pasta sauce to stews, casseroles and more. What does tomato do in […]

Many pasta sauce recipes recommend adding two or more teaspoons of sugar to your sauce to cut the acidic tomato taste. How do you get the tomato taste out of gravy? Sourness comes from acidic ingredients (including tomatoes, wine and vinegar). If your dish tastes too sour try to add sweetness—think sugar, honey (it’s healthy!), […]

Good for digestion: Eating tomatoes daily can keep your digestive system healthy as it prevents both, constipation and diarrhoea. It also prevents jaundice and effectively removes toxins from the body. Are tomatoes hard on your digestive system? Acidic Foods Tomato sauce and citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit, are acidic and can […]

When used in sauces as a building block (e.g. mirepoix, soffrito, the Louisianian Trinity), celery is used to provide only flavour. These flavours come from terpenes which provide aromas of citrus, pine, and (to me) grass, as well as a pleasing bitterness. Why do you add celery to tomato sauce? I was shocked to learn […]

(Yes, hot house cherry tomatoes are a perfectly acceptable out-of-season substitute for their bright and sweet summer cousins in most recipes, because they contain less water and are less prone to mealiness than bigger tomato varieties.) What can you use cherry tomatoes for? 8 flavor-packed ways to use up cherry tomatoes PESTO PIZZA TOAST. SPAGHETTI […]

Italian Plum tomatoes are truly ideal for making a great pizza sauce. Actually, the best tomatoes for pizza sauce is considered to be San Marzano Tomatoes . Grown in the region of San Marzano Italy and cultivated on hillsides with Mt. Vesuvius’ soil. What kind of tomatoes do you use to make pizza? For the […]

Roma tomatoes Roma tomatoes are larger than cherry and grape tomatoes but not large enough to be used for slicing. Romas are also known as plum tomatoes. One Roma tomato (62 grams) contains 11 calories and 1 gram of fiber ( 2 ). They’re naturally sweet and juicy, making them a solid choice for canning […]

PLUM VS CHOPPED TINNED TOMATOES You can break up plum tomatoes in the pan, using the back of a wooden spoon, to achieve a similar texture to chopped if that’s what the recipe calls for. Are plum tomatoes the same as chopped? What are plum tomatoes? Plum tomatoes are long and oval in shape and […]

Using canned tomatoes takes the guesswork out of these soups. During the winter months, canned tomatoes taste infinitely better than any fresh ones you’ll find in the market. Even during tomato season, canned might be the best option for soup, as you might want to save vine-ripened red beauties for eating raw. What type of […]

If you don’t have cherry tomatoes you can substitute any of the following options: Use standard salad tomatoes, see the equivalents below. Grape tomatoes are a little larger but would work equally as well. Plum style tomatoes can be used to replace cherry tomatoes but they tend to be dryer. How many cherry tomatoes equal […]

Metallic taste is due to the tannins in the tomato pomace and skins. A pinch of baking soda will alleviate the problem. Why do my canned tomatoes taste like metal? The metallic taste usually comes as a result from overcooking tomatoes. Cheaper brands of canned crushed tomatoes, sauce, or paste often have this taste. Use […]

Crushed tomatoes are a mixture of more finely diced tomatoes in a tomato puree. They have a much smoother texture and add thickness that’s ideal for pasta sauce, lasagna, and Murgh Kari (a type of chicken curry). What’s the difference between tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes? Crushed tomatoes have a consistency that is similar to […]

San Marzano tomatoes. The best spaghetti sauce is made using San Marzano tomatoes. San Marzano is a variety of plum tomatoes. These tomatoes have a stronger flavor and are sweeter and less acidic. You can find canned San Marzano tomatoes at your grocery store. Can you use any tomatoes for spaghetti sauce? Any tomato that […]

If you have to dice a lot of tomatoes, dicing with a knife can be a long and exhausting process. A food processor is the perfect appliance to dice tomatoes in less than a minute. You can use the pulse feature to prevent the appliance from making a sauce out of your tomatoes. Can you […]

Drain the tomatoes and remove the skins, they should come right off. Once peeled, halve the tomatoes and remove the core. Cut each half in segments and remove the seeds pushing the seeds and their juices out with your thumb. Place seeds and juices in a medium sieve and stir until all the juices have […]

Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes thrive in full sun and moist soil. They need room to grow, so plant them 3-4′ away from other plants. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date and transplant seedlings outdoors after nighttime temperatures are warm enough to avoid frost. How tall do super sweet tomato plants grow? […]

Homemade pasta sauce can be kept in the fridge for three to four days and store-bought sauce can last for up to four days. How long can you store homemade tomato sauce? Generally, homemade tomato sauce will last for three to five days; however, as long as it doesn’t contain cream or cheese, you can […]