Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Estimated Inventory, 12 ct : 0
Description/Taste
Sungold cherry tomatoes are small, round fruits, averaging two centimeters in diameter, that grow in clusters of 10 to 20 fruits. The bite-sized tomatoes have thin, taut, smooth, and glossy skin, ripening from green, gold, to dark orange when mature. There is also a slender, fibrous, green stem with a five-pronged base covering the top of the fruits. Underneath the surface, the flesh is soft, aqueous, and orange, encasing a few edible seeds. Sungold cherry tomatoes have a crisp, tender, and juicy, popping consistency with an exceptionally sweet, fruity flavor mixed with savory, tropical undertones.
Seasons/Availability
Sungold cherry tomatoes are available in the summer.
Current Facts
Sungold cherry tomatoes, botanically classified as Solanum lycopersicum, are a hybrid variety belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The small tomatoes were created in the late 20th century and were developed for their sugary, sweet flavor. Sungold cherry tomatoes are an early-ripening cultivar with prolific, consistent yields throughout the summer season. The fruits are considered to be one of the most popular home garden varieties for their easy-to-grow nature, and they were also globally recognized when they received the British Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, which is a prestigious title given to plants that exhibit quality flavor. Despite Sungold’s small fruit size, the plant itself can mature to be quite large and holds the current world record for the tallest tomato plant ever grown, reaching over nineteen meters in height.
Nutritional Value
Sungold cherry tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that boosts the immune system, and are a good source of potassium, which regulates fluid levels and blood pressure within the body. The tomatoes also contain a high amount of beta-carotene, which is the pigment that gives the fruits their golden-orange hue and is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is known for assisting in maintaining heart health and preventing free radicals from damaging cells.
Applications
Sungold cherry tomatoes are best suited for raw applications as their distinct, tangy-sweet flavor is showcased when consumed fresh, out-of-hand. The tomatoes can be tossed whole into green salads, displayed on appetizer platters with dips, sliced and skewered with cheeses, chopped into salsa, or coated in herbs and olive oil. In addition to fresh applications, Sungold cherry tomatoes can be utilized grilled, sauteed, roasted, or stewed. The small fruits are popularly mixed into pasta, stirred into curries, baked into tarts, topped over flatbreads, or cooked into grain bowls. They can also be simmered into jams and spread over crackers or blended into savory sauces. Sungold cherry tomatoes pair well with fruits such as peaches, berries, and coconut, hummus, meats such as poultry, pork, and beef, mussels, cheeses such as parmesan, burrata, feta, and goat, herbs such as basil, mint, and cilantro, zucchini, and snap peas. The tomatoes can be stored at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for 2 to 3 days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Japan, Sungold cherry tomatoes were created from Tokita Seed’s chairman, Tsutomu Tokita’s, desire to create a sugary, sweet variety for fresh eating. Tokita first encountered cherry tomatoes on a visit to the United States in 1973 and realized that the consumer markets of Japan were missing a small tomato variety with a sweet flavor. Many different types of cherry tomatoes were developed through Tokita Seed and marketed with a “two-bird, one-stone” campaign, speaking to the fruit’s nutritional properties while also promoting that it is a favored variety among children for its sweet, fruity flavor. In the modern-day, cherry tomatoes, including Sungold, are featured as the main ingredient in high-end Japanese spa packages. At the Hoshino Resort in the Kochi Prefecture, multiple varieties of tomatoes are used in face and body treatments, and there is also a pre-set culinary menu consisting of cherry tomato salads, tomato juice, and a tomato syrup drizzled over crushed ice.
Geography/History
Sungold cherry tomatoes are native to Japan and were developed by the Tokita Seed Company in 1992. The small tomatoes are an F1 hybrid variety of two undisclosed parent plants, and once released, they quickly increased in popularity among Japanese markets for their sweet flavor. Outside of Japan, Sungold tomatoes were also sold through the seed house, Thompson and Morgan, in the early 1990s in Great Britain. The variety established itself as one of the most popular cherry tomato cultivars after receiving critical acclaim in several taste trials. Today Sungold cherry tomatoes can be found through international online seed retailers and are also sold through specialty growers at farmer’s markets.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Sungold Cherry Tomatoes. One
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Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad |
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Sweet Pickled Cherry Tomatoes |
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