A Simple Rule For Buying The Best Tomatoes Out Of Season

While corn might be sweet and green peppers crisp, tomatoes still reign as the king of all summer produce. There's nothing like slicing into this vibrant fruit in the height of the summertime. Fresh, juicy, and flavorful, just one bite is enough to keep the memory of the scorching summer heat outside at bay.

While the presence of those tasty tomatoes leaves us feeling euphoric in the summer season, these fruits are just not nearly as bright outside the months of May through October. The tomatoes outside of this all-too-short of a timeline are more watery and dull in flavor than the summer varieties. Luckily, there is a simple rule for buying the best tomatoes out of season. So, if you're buying fresh, avoid the Romas and heirlooms and stick to smaller tomato varieties instead. From cherry tomatoes to grape, smaller tomatoes tend to grow well in greenhouses, so they still have potential to remain extra fresh and juicy all throughout the year instead of exclusively in the summer months.

In addition to being able to grow strong all throughout the year, small tomatoes also store great too. They will also keep even longer if you utilize some of the best kept secrets for fresh tomato storage. The smaller size of cherry and grape tomatoes also means their juices will be much more concentrated, which helps the fruit retain its acidic tomato flavor better than the larger varieties that contain excess water. Cherry tomatoes are also a sweeter choice than other varieties, so even if its flavor is diminished, it should still pack in more sweetness than other tomatoes. (Such as beefsteak, which are usually disappointingly watery in the winter months.) If you'd prefer to go with the versatile grape tomatoes instead, these are also a reliable option thanks to their low water content. Look for vine-on tomatoes for the best quality possible quality. 

So, if you're eager to add a splash of brightness and acidity to a warming winter dish, you're in luck. The cherry and grape tomatoes of the world are still eager to deliver. 

While cherry and grape tomatoes are the best varieties to buy out of season, it's still not quite the right time of year for them, so you should expect to prepare them a differently than you would in the summer. While you can easily eat tomatoes raw in their peak season, served in neat little slices on white bread or as a vibrant addition to a bowl of fresh greens, you'll have to do a some more work in the colder months. 

Because the raw flavor of these tomatoes is not as concentrated in the winter as in the summer, it's best to cook these tomatoes down first before you eat them. Cooking them will allow the fruits to easily release their inner sweetness and acidity while extracting some of the excess water hidden in the flesh, too. Cook your tomatoes however you like, although simmering them in a pot or roasting on a pan are two of the most popular techniques. And hey, if the flavor still isn't enough for you after all that, you can always get yourself a can of tomatoes instead, or try out some other easy ways to boost the flavor of your tomatoes.