Refrigerating tomatoes: is that so wrong?
So I was eating lunch today at what had seemed to be a pretty nice restaurant. The salad was kind of bad, but in a vague way that I couldn't piece together until after getting back to work: the tomatoes, while looking great, were pretty mushy and didn't taste like much of anything. They were also really cold.
Now, I remember from my trusty Field Guide to Produce that refrigerating tomatoes is frowned on, but do any of you know why, exactly? Does it really cause the kind of mushy blandness in that salad, or was that a coincidence? I'm concerned now about the groceries I bring home; I should probably be more careful about what goes in the fridge, and what goes on the counter. Because I know I've just blithely thrown tomatoes in my refrigerator along with everything else.
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13 Comments:
They get kind of mushy and mealy. I do it anyway because I sometimes buy too many tomatoes and I feel like they'd get moldy before I used them, but they're not as crisp or fresh tasting after being refrigerated.
cycorider at 1:02AM on 09/04/09
Noooo! Don't do it! Actually, you can refrigerate tomatoes, peaches, pears, cantaloupe, etc.: if you keep them on your counter until just a teeny bit before they hit the peak of ripeness, you can chill them and they'll be fine.
betteirene at 1:26AM on 09/04/09
Refrigerating tomatoes kills their flavor. Once they drop below about 50 degrees F certain enzymes contributing to aroma and flavor are "turned off" and even if the tomatoes are brought back to room temperature you'll never get the full flavor of the tomato back.
It's not huge, but it's noticeable. In my opinion it makes a garden-fresh tomato taste like a grocery store tomato.
unarata at 4:40AM on 09/04/09
When I purchase a large amount of tomatoes for a cater, I leave them on the counter and use as needed. As the flat of tomatoes begins to dwindle, I put the remaining few in the refrigerator to slow down the ripening process until I can use them up. I don't generally use those last few tomatoes in the least embellished way as I would the initial fruit. I might prepare the tomatoes, then let them reach almost room temp before serving.
I haven't noticed much in the way of textural differences between fridged toms and un-fridged toms because I generally use them soon after putting them in the fridge and they aren't cold when I serve them.
Cold dulls the palate no matter what food is eaten. This is why foods that are served cold like salsa, hummus, tzatziki need to be slightly over-salted when prepared so the flavor "registers" when chilled to serve.
therealchiffonade at 5:40AM on 09/04/09
What unarata said.
lemonfair at 6:45AM on 09/04/09
If you've bought them from a farmers market or gotten them freshfrom the field do not put them in the fridge.
If you bought them from most supermarkets, skip the fridge and the counter all together and throw them in the trash. Your taste buds will thank you.
Pavlov at 8:46AM on 09/04/09
First degree murder
bessfour at 8:46AM on 09/04/09
It makes them mushy. But I'll use the fridge if I only have part of a tomato left, or I know they're about to get moldy.
KarynMC at 9:03AM on 09/04/09
I haven't had a decent tasting tomato in many years...farmer's market, grocery store or out of a neighbor's garden it doesn't make any difference they are all pretty tastless as far as I'm concerned so the ice box thing doesn't bother me.
tusti at 10:30AM on 09/04/09
@KarynMC -- agreed. We do the same thing at home, or if the humidity gets so bad that we have to keep them in the fridge for preservation's sake.
avaryne at 10:54AM on 09/04/09
@tutsi-
"I haven't had a decent tasting tomato in many years...farmer's market, grocery store or out of a neighbor's garden it doesn't make any difference they are all pretty tastless as far as I'm concerned so the ice box thing doesn't bother me."
Really? That's a bummer. Maybe you should try our home grown Sweet 100's super sweet cherry tomatoes. *died and gone to heaven*
Often, farmer's market producers will still grow commercial strains so that they can transport and sell "viable" tomatoes. You need to get a patio pot and grow some lovely little cherries. You won't be sorry.
CJ McD at 7:24PM on 09/04/09
Well, what does one do if you live alone, get a great tomato, slice up about half of it for a sandwich, salad, etc, and end up with the other half? I hate to murder the flavor by putting it in the fridge, but have yet to think of another way to not toss the remains.
I've considered pureeing and freezing the remnants, and then making sauce when I've saved up enough, but haven't actually tried that yet.
unpocojmoney at 10:38PM on 09/04/09
I'm guilty - I put my romas in the fridge. But, I like them cold and crisp for my salads. It's almost too humid here to leave them out - they only last a day.
prncs79 at 10:05AM on 09/05/09