All About Tomatoes

To me, nothing says summer like fresh tomatoes. I know, there are tons of other things that say summer; the beach, no school, vacation, thunderstorms, heat waves, the ice cream truck, cookouts, visiting family, baseball, and the list can go on. However, for me, the garden, and especially tomatoes reminds me of summer.

I know nowadays you can get tomatoes year-round in the grocery store, or even year-round if you live in the right climate. But for me growing up, tomatoes were grown in the garden, or purchased at the farmer’s market in summer and early fall.

Tomatoes are easy to grow, once you figure them out! I will repeat that…once you figure them out! Luckily for me I had a great teacher, my Nonno (grandpa).

My childhood summers meant spending time with my grandparents. I would visit for family parties, or long weekends, or sometimes stay a few weeks. My Nonno’s Queens, New York garden was his entire backyard. There was zero grass, the entire back of the yard, about 20 feet by 30 feet was garden. There was a small section in the front of the yard for a grill and seating, but the rest of the yard was used for gardening.

I have such vivid memories of the rows and rows of tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, peppers, and green beans. Just endless amounts of vegetables, all looking pristine and producing bounties of food. In terms of size, the garden was larger than most, but by no means huge. But the way my grandpa grew food utilized every square inch of space. He grew on trellises, up the fences, staked and pruned his tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, and just made the space work.

Over the years I would spend time in the garden learning from my Nonno. He showed me how to water the tomatoes properly (at the base, not the leaves), how to plant the tomatoes (nice and deep), and how to prune and stake the tomatoes (prune bottom leaves and stake the center vine).

But he also showed me a lot of other things; how to tell when the plant needs water (check the soil and leaves), what certain diseases look like (blight and blossom end rot), and how to tell if the plant needs some more nutrients (color of the leaves, vigor of the plant, and flowers not forming).

The amazing part. We did not speak the same language. I did not understand or speak Sicilian, and my Nonno did not speak English (that well). It is amazing what you can learn from observing, spending time together, and having your Dad translate a few things here and there.

Now, as a grown Man with a loving Wife and 2 young children, I have my own garden. And I teach my children everything that I have learned throughout the years.

I live in Maryland, and unfortunately, can not grow tomatoes all year long. I guess I could with a green house and heat lamps, or large grow lights in the basement all winter, but that is something that is not practical for me.

Summer time is tomato time, and zucchini time, and eggplant time, and cacuzza time, and overall garden and family time.

I grow as many tomatoes as my garden space and wife lets me. And I preserve what I do not eat fresh. Either freezing or canning sauce, salsa, or diced tomatoes. Whenever I can use garden fresh canned tomatoes in the winter it makes me very happy.

When the supply is gone, I buy my tasteless tomatoes from the grocery store. Or most of the time, just don’t buy them at all.

What are all the different types of tomatoes?

There are many different types of tomatoes. All different sizes, shapes, colors, and tastes. At the grocery store or farmer’s market you typically see the beefsteak tomato, cheery tomato, and plum tomato. You might also see a yellow or orange tomato, but most of the time just red tomatoes.

If you love tomatoes I recommend you grow your own. You do not need a large garden like I have,. You just need a few large pots (15-20 gallon), some good soil (potting mix), water, some tomatoes plants (big box store or local nursery), and you are all set. Even better, if you can grown your own tomatoes from seed, the entire world of tomatoes is open to you.

Red tomatoes, orange tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, pink tomatoes, and purple tomatoes of all shapes and sizes. It is a lot of fun to grow different colors and types of tomatoes. And the bonus! The recipes are colorful and taste amazing.

In my recipes I break down tomatoes into 2 high level categories: Fresh and Canned. From there the types of tomatoes you use it up to you. I know I have personal favorites, so use your favorites. If you like a certain tomato I use in a recipe, reach out and I will give you more information.

There are countless types, varieties, and classifications of fresh tomatoes. For me, I keep it simple. There are Beefsteak (or slicer), Cherry, and Plum (or Paste). The reason for this? I use each of these categories for different cooking purposes.

For a more comprehensive list of tomato types I have compiled a list of resources.

Growing Tomatoes in a Home Garden – University of Maryland Extension
Know Your Tomatoes – The Tasting Table
The Complete Guide to Every Type of Tomato – Nature Fresh Farms
45 Types of Tomatoes – Butter n Thyme

Fresh Tomatoes

In my garden I grow primarily cherry and plum types. Why? Because my kids like the cherry tomatoes and I make sauce with the plums. I grow slicers as well, just in small quantities. Why? I am the only one in my household that likes tomato sandwiches, and we use cherry tomatoes in salads. See, I think I keep it simple.

Beefsteak or Slicer

Large, meaty, with that classic tomato flavor. I think the beefsteak is what most people think or when you say tomato. Beefsteak tomatoes can get massive, over 4 pounds. That is a lot of tomato! These tomatoes are perfect for bacon, lettuce, tomato (BLT) sandwiches, for stuffing, salsas, and sliced for salads.

Beefsteaks are good for baking and roasting. However, with their high water content, they do not lend themselves to sauces. You could use them for sauce, but you will need some extra time and energy to thicken the sauce.

Although the beefsteak is versatile, it does not top the list of my favorite types of tomatoes.

Cherry

The “candy” of the garden. Well at least in my opinion. What a great treat while you are spending hours in the hot sun tending to the garden. I have fond memories of my then 2 year old daughter plucking red ripe cherry tomatoes right from the tomato plant and eating them. Or how excited she would get and yell “matoes” any time I brought a bowl of them in from the garden.

Cherry tomatoes are sweet, small in size at about 1-inch in diameter, have thin skin, and a higher water content. Theses plants can get massive. Over ten feet tall if you let them!

One year in the garden I counted my cherry tomatoes. From July-October I picked over 1,600 cherry tomatoes from 6 plants. They grew over 7 feet tall and formed a sort of hedge across.

Cherry tomatoes are great salad tomatoes, good for quick sauces, chopped up for sautés, and roasted in the oven. Theses are one of my favorite types of tomatoes.

I grow red, orange, yellow, and purple cherry tomatoes.

This gnocchi recipe features cherry tomatoes.

Plum or Paste

The trusty and versatile plum tomato. Some times refereed to as roma or paste tomatoes. My Nonno grew mainly roma tomatoes, that my Nonna, would then make into sauce. My kids prefer cherry tomatoes, but my heart and taste buds prefer the plum.

You might have heard of the famous San Marzano tomatoes. Well those are a type of plum or paste tomato. Probably the most sought after tomato for Italian sauces. That is what I grow in my garden, San Marzano.

The plum tomato are firm and oval. They have fewer seeds and lower moisture than most other tomatoes. They have a firm flesh and lower acidity level, which makes them ideal for sauces and diced tomatoes.

You can use the plum tomato sliced up on sandwiches and salads, although, this is not where they shine. Reserve these for sauces and cooking, and use the cherry, beefsteak, and slicer types for fresh eating.

Personally, I love the texture and taste of the plum tomato. So for me, it is toasted bread, sliced plums, and some balsamic vinegar. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Tomatoes in Cans and Tomato Products

Crushed Tomatoes

Great for sauces, stews, and chilies. I always keep cans of crushed tomatoes in my pantry. I prefer the larger 28 oz. cans because I make a lot of dished with red sauce in my house!

My favorite brand is Tuttorosso. My favorite product they make are their no salt added crushed tomatoes.

I also like Cento as a backup, or even store brand crushed tomatoes. Store brand varieties have come a long way.

This tomato soup recipe features crushed tomatoes.

Diced Tomatoes

Probably my go-to for quick recipes, diced tomatoes are very versatile. I love their texture and taste.

For diced tomatoes I like Contadina and store brands such as Happy Harvest, Great Value, and Food Lion.

My pantry is always stocked with a supply of diced tomatoes. Be is canned from the garden, or from store bought cans.

Strained Tomatoes

Great for a quick sauce in a skillet, or to add color and flavor to sautés, strained tomatoes have a place in my pantry.

Usually salt free and just tomatoes, I love the flavor and texture. I will sauté some garlic and onions in olive oil, add some herbs, a bottle of strained tomatoes, and in 30 minutes I have a quick homemade pasta sauce.

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Expensive. That is what comes to mind when I thing of sun dried tomatoes. I keep these in my pantry, but usually when they are on sale.

Great in cold salads, pasta dishes, and on appetizer platters. My favorite brands are Cento, Mezzetta, and California Sun Dry.

This chicken recipe features sun dried tomatoes.

Tomato Paste

A must in my pantry. I use tomato paste all of the time to thicken sauces, stews, chilies, and soups.

If you are looking for great tomato flavor without all of the volume, then you must keep tomato paste in your pantry.

This Swiss chard recipe features tomato paste.

Whole Plum Tomatoes

The original canned tomato. I believe.

I use whole tomatoes primarily in sauces and soups. I crush the tomatoes with my hands and then use them in recipes. You can also add them to a blender and process them into more of a tomato juice for recipes.

When I make marinara sauce with canned tomatoes I use a combination of whole plum tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste.

My Favorite Tomatoes to Use

My favorite tomatoes to use are diced tomatoes. Be it, fresh or canned diced tomatoes. I really enjoy the way diced tomatoes cook, the way they look in a dish, and the way they taste. Diced tomatoes hold their shape which is a nice look when plating and serving a dish.

My second favorite type of tomato to use is crushed or strained tomatoes. I like to make quick red sauces a lot, so these tomatoes are perfect for the job.

Diced and crushed tomatoes I use the most, so they top my list, however, I use all of the tomatoes listed on this page. I use tomatoes several times a week, so there are plenty of opportunities to use all types and varieties of tomatoes