Ananas Bleue Tomatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Ananas Bleue tomatoes are round fruits with bi-colored skin and varying sizes. They may have an almost completely round shape or a slightly flattened shape that resembles a small pumpkin with the sides gently rising above the stem, creating a distinctive puffy appearance. Ananas Bleue tomatoes weigh between 100 and 200 grams and can be relatively larger than most tomato varieties. Their multi-colored skin starts off red and matures into a yellow-orange hue ribbed with blue-black shoulders. This skin is shiny and feels mostly smooth but can develop some cracks and scars as the fruit ages. The flesh of Ananas Bleue tomatoes is yellow-orange on the outside and becomes pink-red towards the center of the fruit. The flesh of the tomato is dense and succulent with a tender texture. Closer to the skin, there is a generous amount of gel, which encases numerous small, white seeds. Ananas Bleue tomatoes are aromatic and have a mild, sweet, and fruity flavor with undertones of pineapple.
Seasons/Availability
Ananas Bleue tomatoes are available from mid to late summer.
Current Facts
Ananas Bleue tomatoes are botanically known as Lycopersicon lycopersicum and belong to the Solanaceae family, which contains other varieties of tomatoes as well as potatoes, eggplants, and chili peppers. Like all tomatoes, this variety is technically a fruit but is commonly referred to and used as a vegetable in cooking. Ananas Bleue tomatoes are a variety of Pineapple tomatoes, known for their subtle hints of pineapple flavor and typically larger size. The word ananas means pineapple in German and French, languages spoken in the variety's native country of Belgium. For this reason, they are also known as Blue Pineapple tomatoes. Ananas Bleue tomatoes are a hybrid variety bred from OSU Blue tomatoes and Ananas tomatoes. OSU Blue tomatoes share the same blue hue found on the shoulders of Ananas Bleue tomatoes, while Ananas tomatoes display the orange-yellow hue that covers most of the Ananas Bleue skin.
Nutritional Value
The nutritional value of Ananas Bleue tomatoes isn’t widely known but yellow tomatoes in general are a significant source of vitamin C. This vitamin supports the immune system and promotes healthy skin. Yellow tomatoes also provide fiber, which aids in digestion and helps maintain a healthy weight, and phosphorus, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. The folate in these tomatoes plays a crucial role in DNA synthesis and repair, and is especially important for pregnant women to support fetal development. While Ananas Bleue tomatoes lack the vitamin A and lycopene found in red tomatoes, they contain higher levels of niacin and potassium. Niacin supports metabolic processes and helps maintain healthy skin, while potassium regulates fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals.
Applications
Ananas Bleue tomatoes are often used in their fresh form and are considered a slicing variety that bodes well for salads. They pair with leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, and arugula and may be mixed with salad toppings like golden beets, toasted pine nuts, cilantro, cucumbers, avocados, and grilled chicken. This variety may be incorporated into soups like gazpacho, corn chowder, and tomato bisque. Ananas Bleue tomatoes make a good topping for flatbreads, pizzas, pasta, and roasted chicken entrées. They are often incorporated in Caprese salads and sandwiches with basil, mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar or turned into a golden tomato sauce. This tomato is complemented by the flavors of shallots, garlic, oregano, chili, parsley, chives, celery leaf, mint, lemon balm, sage, bell peppers, zucchini, radish, shrimp, chickpeas, and burrata and feta cheese. Store Ananas Bleue tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight until ripe, after which refrigeration slows down the process of decay.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Ananas Bleue tomatoes are a hybrid tomato created in Belgium, a country that has been increasingly known for its tomato production. There is a wide range of other Belgian varieties, including Mlle Foriers, Rouge de Gand, Etoile Blanche, Etoile Blanche d’Anvers, Verte de Huy, Lufichoise, and Giant Belgium tomatoes. Despite the cold weather, these cultivars can be produced year-round because they are sown in greenhouses, a development that has made tomatoes Belgium’s most produced vegetable. The country exports a large percentage of its tomato production to Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Italy.
Geography/History
Ananas Bleue tomatoes were first cultivated by a Belgian breeder named José Antoine. One of the parent varieties, the Ananas tomato, was brought from Kentucky to Europe in the 1950s and eventually used to create this hybrid. Ananas Bleue tomatoes require warm temperatures, full sunlight, and humidity to grow. Outside of regions with this kind of weather, they are most successfully cultivated in greenhouses that can provide all of these conditions. As a hybrid breed, they are not sourced from the wild. Ananas Bleue tomatoes are considered a rare variety that may be found at farmers’ markets in Belgium and Ukraine. In most parts of the world, Ananas Bleue tomatoes are more likely to be located in home gardens where they are grown from seeds rather than purchased as fruit.
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