Green Tomatoes
Estimated Inventory, 10 lbs : 4.45
This item was last sold on : 12/20/24
Description/Taste
Green tomatoes have light to dark lime green skin and are extremely firm. They range in size depending on the variety and can be anywhere from 4 to 10 centimeters in diameter and can be very round or plumper with broad shoulders. The flesh is bright chartreuse and has a very firm center with tiny, underdeveloped seeds. Green tomatoes offer a crisp and mildly juicy texture. They have a sharp, puckering, astringent flavor with a slight sweetness.
Seasons/Availability
Green tomatoes are available year-round with a peak season in the summer and fall months.
Current Facts
Green tomatoes were famously re-introduced to the culinary scene after the release of the early 1990s movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, based on the book by Fannie Flagg. They are the immature or unripe fruits of any variety of tomato and are botanically classified as Solanum lycopersicum or Lycopersicon esculentum. Green tomatoes are generally sourced from the large “slicer” type tomatoes since they are easier to use than smaller cultivars. Although farmer’s markets and specialty stores may carry other varieties of Green tomatoes.
Nutritional Value
Green tomatoes contain antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and K, as well as iron, phosphorous, and other minerals. Green tomatoes also contain all the essential B-complex vitamins. Green tomatoes contain the alkaloid tomatine which is being researched for its potentially cancer fighting properties. The compound is only found in the green parts of the tomato plant and as the fruits ripen, their levels of tomatine decrease.
Applications
Green tomatoes are used raw and cooked. They are sliced and battered in cornmeal and fried for their signature dish. They are also pickled, cooked into sauces, made into relishes or ketchup, and baked. Add sliced Green tomatoes to sandwiches or dice and use in rice or risotto recipes and for fritters or quick breads. They can be used as a substitute for sour green apples in recipes and have just enough sweetness to be a surprising and tasty ingredient in a traditional apple-based dessert. Store Green tomatoes at room temperature until ready to use, refrigerating will extend shelf life. Keep cut, unused portions in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Despite its reputation as a staple of southern cuisine, the green tomato’s modern use in the kitchen seems to have originated in the Midwestern United States. The first published recipe for fried green tomatoes was printed in Chicago’s “The Daily Inter Ocean” in 1877. Around the same time, other publications began to promote the Green tomato, giving gardeners a use for what was formerly considered waste. Green tomatoes remained popular throughout the first half of the 20th century, after which their use began to decline. Their popularity surged again after the release of the film ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ in 1991 and they’ve continued to appear on menus and at farmer’s markets around the country.
Geography/History
Tomatoes, like their botanical cousin, the potato, originated in the South American Andes. They were first cultivated around 700 C.E. in South and Central America by the Mayans and Incas. After their arrival in the 15th century, Spanish conquistadores brought tomato seeds back to Europe, where the French called it “the apple of love” and Germans named it “the apple of paradise.” Despite its use and admiration in Europe, it wasn’t until Thomas Jefferson began growing the fruit as a food crop at his Monticello estate that the tomato began showing up in the American kitchen. Today tomatoes are the world’s most consumed fruit before bananas and watermelons. Green tomatoes are most likely spotted at farmer’s markets, specialty stores and on seasonal menus in temperate regions world-wide.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Ridgeview Health Center | San Diego CA | 858-293-3950 |
| Portside Pier (Brigantine) | San Diego CA | 858-268-1030 |
| Georges at the Cove | San Diego CA | 858-454-4244 |
| Brigantine Pt Loma | San Diego CA | 619-224-2871 |
| Brigantine Escondido | Escondido CA | 760-743-4718 |
| US Grant Hotel Grill | San Diego CA | 619-232-3121 |
| Brigantine Coronado | Coronado CA | 619-435-4166 |
| Brigantine Poway | Poway CA | 858-486-3066 |
| Brigantine La Mesa | La Mesa CA | 619-465-1935 |
| Monteferante Foods | Vista CA | 310-740-0194 |
| Pali Wine Company | San Diego CA | 310-893-0038 |
| The Compass | Carlsbad CA | 760-434-1900 |
| Brigantine Imperial Beach | Imperial Beach CA | 619-591-1350 |
| Claire's on Cedros - SKSB | Solana Beach CA | 858-259-8597 |
| Rancho Bernardo Inn (Avant) | San Diego CA | 858-675-8505 |
Recipe Ideas
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