The last breath ofsummer gradually slides into fall. Fall doesn’t rage in instead it takes it time to show up. The air starts to lighten slowly shrugging off the heavy moisture laden hot temperatures and the leaves on the trees begin to sporadically flutter to the ground. But, the real end of summer is when the last tomato is snapped off the vine.

                           Why Is the Jersey Tomato So Tasty?

The Jersey tomato is all about location. It gets its tastiness from the sandy, acidic Jersey soil, and it benefits from the hot dry weather. In supermarkets, tomatoes are found year round. California and Florida are big producers of tomato crops because they have the weather for a long growing season. The tomato crop in New Jersey is harvested by the end of August. Tomatoes that are shipped around the country are picked when they are still green and firm.  The tomatoes are then packed and warehoused where they are doused with ethylene gas, which enables the tomato to survive shipping by arriving red and ripe for sale. A Jersey tomato is ready to eat when they’re red and slightly soft.

              Is the Jersey Tomato a Fruit or Vegetable?

The tomato is a fruit because it contains seeds, but it’s labeled as a vegetable. In 1887, there was confusion about whether a duty should be collected on imported tomatoes. At that time there was a tariff imposed on vegetables. The Supreme Court officially classified the tomato as a vegetable in 1893. The Court deemed the tomato a vegetable because it was eaten with dinner.

Bite into a Healthy Dose of Tomato

A tomato is a natural package filled with vitamin C and the antioxidant Lycopene. Lycopene reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Eating raw tomatoes will give you a high content of Vitamin C, while according to scientists at Cornell University, the amount of Lycopene in tomatoes increases when they are cooked.

                            Treat Your Jersey Tomato Right

Always keep your tomatoes stored in a dark place at room temperature. When you refrigerate your tomatoes, you destroy the flavor. Tomatoes lined up on a windowsill are nice but damaging. The area is too hot causing them to rot.

                             Hail to the Jersey Tomato

Savoring a Jersey tomato is the culinary highlight of summer. Eating a tomato bursting with the sweet, juicy taste of sunshine is simple and satisfying. Tomato sandwiches, Tomato sauce, and tomato salad are all summertime favorites. Tomatoes can be sliced, diced, chopped and pureed or eaten over the sink like an apple. The great thing about growing your own Jersey tomatoes is that you can always look forward to the start of another tomato season.