Green Plum Cherrry Tomatoes
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Description/Taste
Green Plum Cherry tomatoes are small in size, averaging 2-3 centimeters in diameter, and are oblong to spherical in shape with rounded ends. The firm skin is shiny, smooth, thin, and pale green. Underneath the taut skin, the green flesh is crisp and juicy with a slippery, liquid-filled center containing many small, cream-colored seeds. Green Plum Cherry tomatoes are crunchy mixed with a soft consistency and range in flavor from sweet, tart, to mildly acidic.
Seasons/Availability
Green Plum Cherry tomatoes are available year-round.
Current Facts
Green Plum Cherry tomatoes, botanically classified as Solanum lycopersicum, are small fruits that grow on leafy, compact plants that can reach 1-3 meters in height and are members of the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Considered a berry, but cooked and consumed as a vegetable, Green Plum Cherry tomatoes are favored by home gardeners for their tangy flavor, bright coloring, and ability to be grown in containers, utilized in a wide variety of both raw and cooked applications.
Nutritional Value
Green Plum Cherry tomatoes are a good source of vitamins A and C, and also contain potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
Applications
Green Plum Cherry tomatoes are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as baking, sautéing, roasting, and boiling. When used fresh, the tomatoes can be chopped and mixed into a salsa verde or sliced and tossed into green salads. When cooked, Green Plum Cherry tomatoes are sliced and mixed into stews, soups, or curries, blended into sauces, chopped and tossed into pasta, cooked with eggs, or baked into pies, casseroles, or gratins. The tomatoes can also be cooked into jams and chutneys, sliced, fried, and served as a bite-sized appetizer, or fried and layered as a crunchy element on sandwiches and burgers. Green Plum Cherry tomatoes pair well with ginger, zucchini, eggplant, green apples, citrus, parmesan cheese, ham, poultry, lentils, and rice. The small fruits will keep up to one week when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Green tomatoes are frequently used in Eastern European recipes for their sweet-tart flavor. In Bulgaria, the crunchy fruits are often used as a variation of the classic tarator or cold summer soup paired with garlic, yogurt, and cucumbers. Green tomatoes are also commonly used in bread recipes that can act as both a breakfast and dessert or they can be fried with eggs and cooked into jams. In Moldova and Romania, green tomatoes are pickled and used as a side dish to lamb stew, meatballs, or polenta with sausage. They are also mixed into lentils for a filling main dish.
Geography/History
Tomatoes are native to South America, being cultivated as early as 700 BCE, and were introduced to Europe during the 16th century. The fruits were slow to become popular in Europe, and the development of new varieties did not occur until the 19th century. Once cultivation began, many different green varieties were created, and this has led it to be difficult to trace exact origins of specific varieties. Today Green Plum Cherry tomatoes can be found in home gardens and at local farmers markets across Europe.
