Cherry Tomatoes
By: Alisa Escanlar

About

Cherry tomatoes are smaller and sweeter compared to the regular tomatoes we see in the market. They can be used the same way we do with regular tomatoes, and are excellent in salads, prepared as appetizers or grilled.

Information
Other names: Cherry Tomato
Translations: Ķiršu tomātiem, Vyšniniai pomidorai, Cherry Tomate, Cherry rajčice, Cà chua anh đào, Pomidorkami cherry, Cherry Tomaten, चेरी टमाटर, Помидорами черри, Ντοματίνια, الكرز الطماطم (البندورة), 체리 토마토, Cherry rajčátky, Цхерри парадајз, Cherry kamatis, 樱桃番茄, Tomàquets Cherry, Češnjev paradižnik, Cherry paradajkami, Pomodorini, עגבניות שרי, Körsbärstomater, Cherry Tomat, チェリートマト, Tomates cerises, Cherry Tomaten, Cherry Tomater, Cherry tomater, Tomates Cherry, Помідорами черрі, Kirsikkatomaatit, Чери домати


Physical Description
Cherry tomatoes range in size from a thumbtip up to the size of a golf ball, and can range from being spherical to slightly oblong in shape
Colors: red, yellow or orange


Tasting Notes
Flavors: sweet, tangy
Mouthfeel: Tart, Juicy, Sweet, Tangy, Firm
Food complements: Basil, Olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, Lemon, Pesto, Onions, Garlic, Shallots
Wine complements: Red wine, White wine
Beverage complements: Ginger ale, Tonic water
Substitutes: Grape tomatoes, Heirloom tomatoes, Campari tomatoes


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: june, july, august, september
Peak: june, july, august, september
Choosing: Pick tomatoes when their color is glossy and even, and their texture midway between soft and firm.A Good-quality cherry tomato will be firm, smooth-skinned and be at least pink in color. Tomatoes that are partially green will ripen if left at room temperature.
Buying: Buy cherry tomato seedlings from your local nursery for planting after the last frost date in spring.
Procuring: Choose a place with plenty of sunlight. Use compost or other organic matter for better growth. The soil should be moist. You would need to keep a watch that the soil doesn’t get dry. The plant should get six hours of sunlight daily. You can use a pot with foam work or fiberglass. These materials don’t allow the water to evaporate from the roots. May sure that there are drainage holes in the containers that you are using. 



Preparation and Use
You can find them in a variety of dishes, salads or eaten simply on their own as a snack. Because of their size, cherry tomatoes do well as appetizers or as garnishes for main dishes of all different origins, ranging from couscous to a beefsteak. They can also be found in salsas or guacamole.
Cleaning: Rinse and eat


Conserving and Storing
Do not refrigerate tomatoes! They will retain their flavor and ripen correctly at room temperature. Once they are ripe, use within 3 days


Social/Political
In Europe, where it was taken by the Spanish, the tomato was grown only as a ornamental for many years. Eating tomatoes was considered certain to prove fatal. Even in North America, it has been only in the past 150 years that people mustered enough courage to try eating them. That all changed starting on the courthouse steps in Salem, New Jersey, at twelve o'clock noon on September 26, 1820, when Colonel Robert G. Johnson ate not one, but a basketful of tomatoes. He not only lived, he wasn't a bit ill following his demonstration.

History: The common cherry tomato species of today was developed originally in Israel in a number of research centers.