By Thomas Cenci

Here is a quick tip on how to remove the skin of a tomato.

It’s called blanching and can also be used on other fruits such as peaches or plums.

It’s great when using for garnishes or sauces when you don’t want bits of the skin left in, or can be used for half cooking vegetables to be reheated later.

Method:
1. Take a tomato and cut out the green stem.
2. Then make a small incision on the other end of the tomato.
3. Place into boiling salted water for no more than 10 seconds (longer for half cooking other vegetables).
4. Take out and place straight into iced cold water.
5. Drain from the iced water and peel the skin straight off.

By Michelle Fabio

For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s time to grill!

And NatureSweet® Tomatoes and Weber Grills want to make sure you’re doing it right by offering a free recipe booklet called “Grilling and BBQ Cooking with Vine-Ripened Tomatoes” aimed at those interested in healthy grilling.

You can find recipes online, including Basil Hamburgers with Warm Tomato and Mozzarella Condiment, Grilled Shrimp with Ginger and Tomato Broth, and Smoked Tomato Pizza with Pesto, Grilled Onions, and Feta Cheese.

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By Michelle Fabio

Lakeisha Germany-Ross, a 17-year-old 11th grader at Connections High School in Panaewa, Hawaii, won first prize in Hamakua Springs Country Farm’s You Say Tomato Recipe Contest for Hawaii Community College students.

The winning dish?

Cherry tomato compote served over a mascarpone, cream cheese, and citrus zest budino (pudding in Italian).

Germany-Ross cooked cherry and beefsteak tomatoes slowly in a sugar Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

I do a ton of Italian cooking, much of which calls for sun dried tomatoes in the recipe.

While you can substitute fresh or even canned tomatoes, the flavor and texture will not be the same and after all, when you are cooking, isn’t flavor what it’s all about?

Choosing a Tomato
The best tomatoes for sun drying are varieties that have fewer seeds and juice, such as the Roma.

The variety you choose is really up to you, just know ahead of time that sun drying isn’t going to happen overnight, especially if you are using large, juicy tomatoes. When you do choose your tomatoes, select several that are all the same basic size so they will dry in approximately the same amount of time.

Doing the Deed
The best old school method I have found is:

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By Michelle Fabio

If you’re out of a zone where tomatoes are in season or where this year’s crop isn’t living up to expectations, you may be lamenting the loss of your beloved tomatoes in your diet.

And although you may be used to heirlooms or Romas for different recipes, there’s another option.

The small one that can pack a flavor punch—the cherry tomato.
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By Michelle Fabio

While browsing my favorite blogs, I came across a post on my friend Meredith’s site entitled “Tomate en guise de fleur” with this gorgeous photo:

I emailed Meredith and asked her permission to display her beautiful tomato rose here at Tomato Casual. She readily agreed and even pointed me to a page that shows how to make one of these, immediately transforming an ordinary salad into something extraordinary.
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