"tomatoes" news and stories

If you build it, they will come. They will; we promise. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's tomato tower elevates one of the most straight-on, delicious combos simply by stacking it. Take one astoundingly ripe tomato (heirloom or brand-new variety; your call). Blanch it (see the recipe at blogger/photographer ulteriorpicture's post), slice it, layer it with olive oil and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with ulteriorpicture's tomato vinaigrette to up the tomato ante. Repeat. Eat. Swoon.

A cool presentation of tomato towers might use a variety of colors and flavors: big red Early Girls, striped Green Zebras and maybe throw in some Yellow Brandywines. And, tomato fiends, here's an event you won't want to miss: The Tomatomania seedling sale is coming to Arcadia, Calif. starting today as well as to Lothian, Md; and Litchfield, Conn., in May. See the Tomatomania website to explore all the varieties available for planting.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot of having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

Are rotten tomatoes going to be a thing of the past?

Scientists in India said they have created genetically modified tomatoes that will stay fresh a full month longer than regular tomatoes, Sky News reported.

Researchers said they modified the tomatoes by manipulating two enzymes involved in ripening the ubiquitous fruit, which allows them to extend shelf life by 30 days.

"Our strategy allows the achievement of desired texture and firmness and enhancement of shelf life without any ill effects," Dr. Asis Datta of the National Institute of Plant Genome Research in New Delhi told Sky News.

"This strategy can be extended to other fruit crops," Dr. Datta said.

Roasted Tomatoes. Photo: maggiephotos, Flickr.

Fall is officially here, but that doesn't mean you can't still snag a few good tomatoes here and there. While they're best fresh, tomatoes can also survive a stint in the freezer ... as long as you do something with them afterward.

These scarlet slices are from Flickr user maggiephotos -- who encourages freezing the ruby reds for colder months -- and explains on her blog Pithy and Clever that she roasted them with herbs, salt and "a few cloves of garlic." Roasted low and slow, they managed to maintain their beautiful color and look just as lush as fresh tomatoes.

[Via Flickr]

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

Polenta Pizza. Photo: The Brown-Eyed Baker.

There are few combinations more satisfying than starch and fat. It's why hamburgers and macaroni and cheese always seem to please even the most picky eaters. Add a few colorful vegetables to the mix and you have a meal that covers the food groups and catches the eye, like this pizza from the Brown-Eyed Baker.

But this is not your typical slice. In addition to the square Sicilian cut, what you may not see right away is that the crust is made of crispy polenta and topped off with deliciously rich bacon and Fontina cheese, as well as a healthy dose of vegetables (cremini mushrooms, baby spinach and a Roma tomato).

[Via The Brown Eyed Baker]

Photo: La tartine gourmande, Flickr

Those perplexed by this season's tomato blight, aka "late blight", or simply wondering why the heck the price of the beloved ruby-hued edibles has gone through the roof of late would do well to read this piece by chef/ restaurateur/ locavore Dan Barber in Sunday's New York Times.

Barber reveals that Stone Barns, the farm that is part of his restaurant north of New York City lost half its tomatoes in the span of only three days due to the "pernicious" blight sweeping the northeast. Many organic farmers have been forced to spray using pesticides, losing their organic certifications in the process.

Evidently the spring's wet weather has proved a "four-star hotel" for late blight. Americans looking to save money this year -- seven million more of us investigated home gardening this year -- unknowingly bought starter plants infected with blight from large industrial stores. Ironically, this helped create the problem, as tiny "Trojan horse" vines popped up on windowsills and in cages along the eastern seaboard.

Has late blight made an impact on you yet?


[Via the New York Times]