I found some gigantic, gnarly, Travelers tomatoes from the farmer’s market. I took pics of them to blog about and made a delicious panzanella salad. Then my phone got stolen along with the pics that told the story 10,000 words never could. Regardless of the thievery, I still have something to say…
The ugly truth is…I don’t enjoy fresh tomatoes. Yes, I’m “one of those people.” Like Dr. Seus; I do not like them in a plane, or on a boat, I do not like them with a goat. Ketchup, gravy and salsa are all on the cool list. But if the salsa tastes all raw tomatoey, then no. I am not special, and there are many like me. We lurk in the shadows, making small piles of unwanted fruit/vegetable on the side of a plate. Our blood runs cold when we forget to hold the tomatoes on a burger or sandwich; we know the taste will spread like wildfire and engulf everything it comes in contact with. This is our plight.
Let me be clear; I can somewhat enjoy a tomato if two things happen. The tomato is grown well with all needed nutrients. Like the volcanic soil of Greece for instance. Or, I have to brainwash myself. Telling myself before, during, and after mastication that. “I have never tasted this exotic fruit/vegetable before, this is a new adventure, and it WILL be delicious.” I developed this routine in Greece on my honeymoon. Knowing that if I was to enjoy a tomato, Greece, with its volcanic soil would probably be the place. So I sacked up, stopped being a wuss and started acting like I enjoyed them. It worked :-)
I thought I had read the science behind this but apparently not, my interwebz research came up empty. What was surprising during the research was the lack of the question. All matters of science were discussing the nutritional change a tomato goes through when heated but nothing about the taste difference. What is there, or not there, after they’re cooked?
Lycopene and glutamate levels are higher in cooked tomatoes and lycopenes molecular shape changes to something more absorbable. Maybe that changes the taste as well? I tend to think glutamate https://www.joshsfood.com/fun-with-amino-acids/lays a major roll as well. There is a vast difference between a salted and unsalted bite of tomato. The salt I think adds a missing link to the glutamate which then gives the taster a savory full-bodied flavor. Like it’s sweating msg.